MELLONEY    HOLTSPUR 

OR 

THE     PANGS     OF     LOVE 

j* 
JOHN    MASEFIELD 


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By      JOHN      MASEFIELD 

KING  COLE 

GALLIPOLI 

RIGHT  ROYAL 

THE  FAITHFUL 

LOST  ENDEAVOR 

A  MAINSAIL  HAUL 

DAFFODIL  FIELDS 

CAPTAIN  MARGARET 

THE  OLD  FRONT  LINE 

ESTHER  AND  BERENICE 

MULTITUDE  AND  SOLITUDE 

THE  WAR  AND  THE  FUTURE 

ENSLAVED  AND  OTHER  POEMS 

COLLECTED  POEMS  AND  PLAYS 

GOOD  FRIDAY  AND  OTHER  POEMS 

SALT  WATER  POEMS  AND  BALLADS 

TRAGEDY  OF  NAN  AND  OTHER  PLAYS 

THE  TRAGEDY  OF  POMPEY  THE  GREAT 

PHILIP  THE  KING  AND  OTHER  POEMS 

LOLLINGDON  DOWNS  AND  OTHER  POEMS 

STORY  OF  A  ROUND-HOUSE  AND  OTHER  POEMS 

REYNARD  THE  Fox,  OR  THE  GHOST  HEATH  RUN 

THE   LOCKED   CHEST;    AND   THE   SWEEPS   OF 

NINETY-EIGHT 
THE  EVERLASTING  MERCY  AND  THE  WIDOW  IN 

THE  BYE  STREET 


MELLONEY  HOLTSPUR 

OR 

THE  PANGS  OF  LOVE 

BY 
JOHN   MASEFIELD 


The  consecrated  things  are  wiser  than  our  virtue. 


H?orfc 

THE   MACMILLAN   COMPANY 
1922 

All  rights  reserved 


PRINTED  IN   THE  UNITED  STATES  OP   AMERICA 


COPYRIGHT,  1922, 
BY  JOHN  MASEFIELD 


Set  up  and  electrotyped.    Published  November,  1922. 


Press  of 
J.  J.  Little  &  Ives  Company 

New  York 


(oOZ  5 
M  3~,  e 

2.  a 


The  consecrated  things  are  wiser  than  our  virtue. 


2068045 


PERSONS 

KEZIA  SPINFIELD 
BETHIA  PARKINS 
THE  MAN  IN  ARMOUR 
MELLONEY  HOLTSPUR 
MYRTLE  WEST 
LONNY  COPSHREWS 
JAKE  HOLTSPUR 
MINNIE  BRACKNELL 
ALINE  COPSHREWS 
LADY  MENTO 
BUNNY  MENTO 
JEMIMA  JONES 
.PETER  JONES 
SUSAN  JONES 
MARIA  JONES 
LENDA  COPSHREWS 
SPIRITS 


MELLONEY  HOLTSPUR 

OR 

THE  PANGS  OF  LOVE 

ACT  I 

[The  scene  is  a  panelled  room.  At  Back,  a  plain 
panelled  wall  with  two  windows  Right  and  Left. 
Right  at  back  Center  is  a  figure  of  a  man  in 
fifteenth  century  plate  armour.  Directly  above 
the  man  in  armour,  let  into  the  panelling  of  the 
wall,  is  the  Holtspur  device  in  a  Renaissance 
high  relief  of  coloured  plaster:  a  cock  holding  a 
spur,  with  a  motto,  In  asperis  spero.  The  win- 
dows are  on  each  side  of  this  figure.  On  the  Left 
of  the  man  in  armour,  hung  on  the  panel,  is  a 
portrait  of  MELLONEY  HOLTSPUR.  On  the 
Right  of  the  figure,  balancing  it,  is  a  portrait  of 
LAURENCE  COPSHREWS.  At  extreme  Right 
Back  is  a  dark  doorway  leading  of. 
On  the  Right  wing  there  is  panelling  as  at  Back, 
no  decorations.  Up  stage  on  this  side  is  a  pas- 
sage leading  of. 

On  the  Left  wing,  panelling  as  at  Back  and  Right, 
with  a  fireplace  and  mantel  in  the  centre  of  the 
set. 

[i] 


e 
e 


Melloney  Holtspur 

Both  above  and  below  the  fireplace  on  this  side 
is  a  passage  leading  off. 

In  the  Centre  of  the  stage  is  a  small,  oak  refectory 
table,  on  which  is  a  book  bound  in  calf.    Ink, 
pens  and  notepaper  lie  to  right  of  the  book. 
To  Right  of  stage  is  a  small  table  with  chairs. 


KEZIA  SPINFIELD  and  BETHIA  PARKINS  are 
arranging  the  scene.  BETHIA  is  dumpy  and 
dowdy  and,  old.  KEZIA  is  taller  and  smarter 
and  older,  with  a  frail  face  of  some  beauty. 
BETHIA  enters  Left  with  a  tray  and  is  taking  it 
out  to  the  passage  Right.] 

KEZIA 

No,  not  there,  Bethia.  Lady  Mento  said, 
"Leave  it  in  the  hall."  I'll  pull  the  little 
table  out. 

[She   goes    of  Right,   then   returns, 
pulling  a  little  wheeled  table  to  Right 
of  stage} 
Now  put  it  there. 

[Bethia  puts  down  the  tray.} 
[2] 


Melloney  Eoltspur 


BETHIA 

KEZIA 
BETHIA 

KEZIA 


BETHIA 


KEZIA 


BETHIA 


KEZIA 


It's  very  late,  Kezia;  I  declare  it's  nearly 
twelve. 

Just  let  me  see  if  I've  forgotten  nothing. 

There's  the  note  from  the  Mrs.  Trenchard  who 
is  dying. 

Yes.  Lady  Mento  must  have  that  directly 
she  comes  in.  Now  I  will  count.  The  soup, 
the  biscuits,  the  coffee,  the  apple  for  Mr. 
Bunny,  the  salted  almonds  for  her  ladyship, 
the  water;  cups,  spoons. 

What  time  will  they  be  back  from  this  dance, 
Kezia? 

Between  two  and  three,  I  heard  them  say, 
but  I  daresay  they'll  be  later.  Miss  Cop- 
shrews  is  to  be  there. 

The  young  lady  who  is  coming  here  to-mor- 
row? 

Miss  Lenda  Copshrews.  She's  stopping  at 
Windlesham  with  Sir  Alfred  and  Lady  Jones, 
and  she'll  come  on  from  there  to-morrow  with 
the  four  Jones  children. 

[3] 


Melloney  Holtspur 


BETHIA 


KEZIA 


BETHIA 


KEZIA 


BETHIA 


KEZIA 


I  noticed  Master  Bunny  was  very  particular 
about  himself. 

He  has  been  very  particular  about  himself 
these  nine  weeks,  ever  since  he  met  her  first, 
at  Wrocester  Hunt  Ball. 

Have  you  ever  seen  her,  Kezia? 

Yes;  often,  as  a  baby.  She  was  brought  up 
at  the  Rectory  here,  by  her  grandfather,  old 
Mr.  Copshrews,  who  was  the  Rector  here 
twenty  odd  years  ago.  They  left  when  they 
made  him  Dean  of  Wrocester  and  I  have  not 
seen  her  since.  That's  her  photograph, 
grown  up,  on  Master  Bunny's  desk. 

Twenty  odd  years  soon  pass:  yet  they  make 
a  cruel  difference. 

You  only  came  into  the  family  through  her 
ladyship's  husband.  You've  been  with  the 
Mentos  all  your  life.  But  I've  been  here 
among  the  Holtspurs  for  sixty-five  years, 
Bethia  Parkins.  Twenty  odd  years  ago 
this  house  was  a  very  different  house  from 
what  it  is  now.  Old  Mr.  Jake  Holtspur, 
her  ladyship's  father,  was  alive  then.  He 
[4] 


BETHIA 


KEZIA 


BETHIA 


KEZIA 


Melloney  Holtspur 

used  to  say  that  no  man  ever  left  this  house 
as  sober  as  he  entered  it;  and  it  was  true, 
too,  Bethia.  Drink  and  paintings  were  the 
only  things  he  cared  for.  But  he  had  a  grand 
brain,  old  Mr.  Jake;  until  her  ladyship 
married. 

My  lamb,  Miss  Melloney  was  alive  then. 
She  was  his  youngest,  but  he  never  cared  for 
her. 

Twenty  odd  years  ago,  she  would  be  singing 
her  French  song  here,  and  old  Mr.  Jake 
drinking  with  his  friends,  and  money  every- 
where, and  my  love  alive. 

But  who  was  this  Miss  Copshrews'  father, 
Kezia? 

The  Rector's  son,  Mr.  Laurence  Copshrews. 
He  was  a  painter. 

What  makes  you  look  about  you  like  that, 
Kezia  Spinfield? 

I  don't  like  talking  of  Mr.  Laurence  Cop- 
shrews.  He  was  a  live,  blind  brand  of  hell. 
And  there's  some  of  him  present  in  this  room. 
That  portrait,  there,  with  the  green  baize 
screen  on  it,  is  Mr.  Laurence  Copshrews. 
He  painted  that. 
[5] 


BETHIA 

KEZIA 
BETHIA 

KEZIA 


BETHIA 


KEZIA 


BETHIA 


KEZIA 


Melloney  Holtspur 

I'd  thought  that  was  her  ladyship's  brother. 
He  doesn't  look  such  a  villain,  Kezia.  He 
looks  to  me  to  be  a  handsome  young  man. 

Others  thought  so,  more's  the  pity. 

Was  this  Miss  Lenda  Copshrews  born  in  sin, 
then,  Kezia? 

No.  He  married  a  French  singing- woman. 
Miss  Lenda  was  their  only  child.  But  draw 
the  green  baize,  Bethia.  I  don't  like  to  feel 
him  looking  at  me. 

Why  are  these  two  pictures  covered  with 
baize,  Kezia? 

They  are  said  to  be  very  delicate  pictures  that 
must  not  have  the  sun  on  them.  And  they 
are  very  valuable.  Old  Mr.  Jake  thought 
the  world  of  them.  He  bought  several  others 
of  Mr.  Copshrews'  paintings. 

[Moving  to  portrait  Left.] 
Then  this  is  by  Mr.  Copshrews,  too,  Kezia? 
And  who  might  this  be? 

That  is  my  lamb,  Miss  Melloney,  whom  he 
painted.     I  entered  service  here  the  day  she 
[6] 


BETHIA 


KEZIA 


BETHIA 


KEZIA 


BETHIA 
KEZIA 


BETHIA 


Melloney  Holtspur 

was  born.  The  day  she  died  was  the  bitterest 
day  I've  known  on  this  earth.  It  is  long  ago 
now,  but  I  cannot  bear  the  thought  of  it. 

It  is  a  sweet  face,  poor  soul.  Is  it  like 
her? 

She  was  like  that:  only  she  had  a  way  with 
her:  a  little  merry  way,  that  nobody  could 
paint. 

And  she  was  never  married? 

No.  Many  asked  her.  Sir  Alfred,  the  father 
of  the  little  Joneses  who  are  coming,  was  the 
one  I  hoped.  But  she  was  not  for  this  world. 
There  was  another,  better  painting  of  her 
than  this,  by  Mr.  Copshrews,  but  it  was  burnt 
in  the  fire  we  had  here  in  Mr.  Holtspur's 
study,  just  after  Mr.  Holtspur  died. 

I  heard  there  was  a  fire. 

A  very  mysterious  fire.  To  this  day  no  one 
can  understand  how  it  broke  out.  And  there 
was  something  about  that  fire  which  marked 
it  as  a  judgment. 

What  could  it  have  been  a  judgment  for? 
[7] 


Melloney  Eoltspur 


KEZIA 


BETHIA 
KEZIA 

BETHIA 

KEZIA 

BETHIA 


KEZIA 

BETHIA 
KEZIA 


A  loving  of  idols,  Bethia.     That  man's  paint- 
ings were  singled  out  by  the  fire;  they  were 
the  only  things  burned,  beside  the  mantel. 
Now  Heaven  defend  me! 

Whatever  is  it,  Kezia? 

Why  didn't  you  draw  the  green  baize  curtain 
when  I  asked  you? 

But  you  can  draw  it,  Kezia;  you're  nearer  to 
it  than  I.  Such  a  fuss  about  a  curtain! 

It  is  a  fuss  about  a  curtain,  but  cover  his  face, 
do  you  now. 

Why,  save  us,  Kezia  Spinfield,  you  look  as 
though  you'd  seen  a  ghost.  There's  his  face 
covered.  A  handsome  young  man  with 
plenty  of  go  in  him.  I  never  saw  you  in  such 
a  taking,  and  all  about  a  graven  image! 

I  could  tell  you  something  about  that  graven 
image,  as  you  call  it,  that  would  bring  the 
sweat  upon  your  palms  for  fear. 

And  what  might  that  be,  Kezia? 

If  I  tell  you,  will  you  promise  never  to 
breathe  what  I  tell  you  to  anyone? 
[8] 


Melloney  Holtspur 


BETHIA 
KEZIA 


BETHIA 


KEZIA 


I  will  not  tell.     I  promise  that. 

I  would  not  tell  you  or  anyone  but  for  other 

things. 

You  know  that  signs  come,  to  those  about  to 

die? 

They  say  they  do  not  come  as  they  used  to 
come.    Who,  here,  have  signs  been  coming  to? 

They  have  been  coming  to  me,  Bethia,  in 
these  last  nights,  and  so  I  know  that  I'm  not 
long  for  this  world.  First  the  death-watch, 
but  that  I  paid  little  heed  to,  since  there  are 
many  dying,  up  and  down;  but  then,  two 
nights  ago,  there  was  the  night-cock,  crowing 
till  the  rafters  rang,  and  all  a-glimmer  in  the 
air;  so  then  I  said,  "If  there  comes  another 
sign,  I  shall  know  it  is  for  me."  And  last 
night  the  Rider  came.  He  came  clop  clep, 
clop  clep,  just  at  midnight,  and  stopped  just 
below,  in  the  road.  I  could  see  him  there, 
Bethia,  a  rider  on  a  white  horse,  with  a  led 
horse  at  his  side.  It  was  full  moon,  Bethia, 
and  he  looked  at  me  and  nodded.  So  I 
shan't  see  the  swallows  go  that  are  now  come, 
nor  the  fruit  that  is  now  blossom,  but  I  shall 
be  with  my  lovely  Miss  Melloney,  Bethia, 
where  blossom  will  never  fade  nor  fruit  fail. 
[9] 


Melloney  Holtspur 


BETHIA 


KEZIA 


BETHIA 
KEZIA 


BETHIA 
KEZIA 

BETHIA 


It's  a  blessed  thing  to  be  so  ready,  Kezia 
Spinfield. 

After  ten  tunes  seven 
Man  is  ready  for  Heaven, 
And  after  ten  times  eight 
He  does  not  want  to  wait. 
And  now  I  will  tell  you  what  it  is  that  troubles 
me  about  that  picture,  if  it  be  a  picture. 

What  else  could  it  be,  Kezia,  my  good  soul? 

A  sending,  from  him  in  hell,  to  damn  folk. 
Didn't  I  see  it  bewitch  you  a  moment  ago, 
just  as  he  would  have  bewitched  you  in  life? 
There  is  this  about  the  picture,  Bethia. 
Every  night,  when  her  ladyship  has  gone  to 
bed,  I  creep  down  here  with  a  long  stick,  and 
I  push  the  curtain  over  him,  with  the  stick, 
so  as  to  shut  him  up,  so  that  he  shan't  get  out. 

This  it  is  to  live  and  learn ! 

And  every  morning,  Bethia  Parkins,  when  I 
come  down,  the  curtain  is  drawn  back,  so 
that  his  wicked  face  is  free. 

Every  morning? 
[10] 


KEZIA 

BETHIA 
KEZIA 

BETHIA 
KEZIA 

BETHIA 

KEZIA 
BETHIA 


KEZIA 


Melloney  Holtspur 

For  the  last  nine  weeks.  Ever  since  Master 
Bunny  met  his  daughter. 

Kezia ! 

It's  drawn  right  back.  He's  opened  his  door 
and  got  out,  and  who  knows  what  wickedness 
he's  done! 

But  he's  dead,  Kezia;  he's  dead  and  gone. 

So  are  a  many  dead  and  gone  that  work  evil. 
I've  signed  that  curtain  with  blessed  water 
from  the  font,  but  he's  stronger  than  the  sign. 

Mightn't  it  be  that  new  maid,  Parsons,  when 
she  dusts  the  room,  first  thing?  She  might 
draw  the  curtain  to  look  at  him. 

It's  none  of  the  maids,  Bethia. 

It  might  be  her  ladyship  or  Master  Bunny, 
Kezia.  Master  Bunny's  taken  up  with  paint- 
ing and  that.  And  he's  up  and  about  at  all 
hours. 

It's  not  them.  I've  taken  my  Bible  into  the 
corner  there  and  left  the  light  burning  and 
watched. 

I  Ml 


BETHIA 
KEZIA 


BETHIA 


KEZIA 


BETHIA 


KEZIA 


BETHIA 
KEZIA 


Melloney  Holtspur 

What  did  you  see,  then,  Kezia? 

At  first  I  saw  nothing  and  heard  nothing,  and 
I  fell  into  a  doze,  in  spite  of  myself.  But  I 
was  waked  by  a  great  clang,  like  the  trump  of 
doom. 

What  was  it?    Had  something  fallen? 
What  was  there  to  fall? 

A  picture,  perhaps,  or  a  window  blown  open, 
or  a  log  burned  through  in  the  hearth,  or  one 
of  the  fire-irons  falling,  or  a  draught  knocking 
down  a  vase  of  flowers,  or  a  dead  bough  out- 
side, falling  from  one  of  the  trees. 

This  was  none  of  those.  It  was  a  clang  like 
iron,  and  it  called  with  a  voice,  and  it  seemed 
to  come  from  Sir  Tirrold  Holtspur,  the  man 
in  armour  there. 

Did  you  hear  what  it  said? 

As  sure  as  I  stand  here,  it  cried,  "Another 
day  is  dead!"  And  another  day  was  dead, 
Bethia,  for  I  could  hear  the  church  bells,  that 
chime  every  third  hour,  chiming  for  midnight, 
"The  day  Thou  gavest,  Lord,  is  ended." 
[12] 


Melloney  Holtspur 


BETHIA 


KEZIA 


BETHIA 


KEZIA 


BETHIA 


KEZIA 


BETHIA 


KEZIA 


BETHIA 


Kezia,  I  suppose  Sir  Tirrold  Holtspur  isn't 
in  the  armour?  There's  no  man  in  the  ar- 
mour? 

No,  indeed,  it's  only  like  his  suit  of  clothes. 

I've  heard  of  men  being  in  the  armour,  and 
unable  to  rest.  Who  was  this  Sir  Tirrold? 

The  founder  of  the  family,  they  say.  He  was 
in  the  Wars  of  the  Roses,  at  the  Battle  here. 
But  whatever  the  voice  was,  Bethia,  it  was 
after  the  voice  that  the  thing  came. 

What  thing? 

I  don't  know,  but  something  came  into  the 
room  from  over  there.  [Points  to  Right  Back.] 
Something  unhappy. 

But  you  saw  it?    What  did  it  look  like? 

No,  I  didn't  see  it.  I  felt  it.  And  it  came 
quite  near,  and  it  saw  me  and  didn't  mind  me; 
it  was  friendly  to  me,  though  I  was  terrified 
of  it. 

What  was  it,  do  you  suppose? 
[13] 


Melloney  Holtspur 


KEZIA 

BETHIA 
KEZIA 


BETHIA 


KEZIA 


BETHIA 


ZEZIA 


BETHIA 


Lord,  save  us,  Bethia,  I  believe  it  was  he,  out 
of  the  picture! 

The  hallows  be  good  to  us! 

I'm  sure  it  was,  for,  after  a  little,  I  felt  it  go 
over  to  the  picture  there;  and  as  sure  as  I 
stand  here,  it  drew  back  the  curtain  and 
looked  at  Miss  Melloney.  Then,  after  a 
minute,  it  went  over  to  his  portrait,  and  I  saw 
the  curtain  travel  back  from  it.  The  rings 
clinked  and  the  baize  moved. 

And  what  happened  then,  Kezia? 

I  believe  it  went  into  the  picture,  like  a  spider 
going  into  his  den.  That  was  its  home; 
there  it  stayed,  looking  out.  And  I  was  weak 
with  terror.  I  backed  out  and  away,  holding 
my  Bible  against  it.  I've  prayed  for  him 
since,  Bethia,  that  he  might  find  peace.  But 
he  is  too  strong.  And  he  is  evil  to  this  house. 

You  of  the  Holtspurs  take  things  to  heart  too 
much.  Why  is  he  evil  to  this  house? 

He  brought  death  here. 


Whose  death? 


[14] 


Melloney  Holtspur 


KEZIA 

BETHIA 

KEZIA 

BETHIA 

KEZIA 


BETHIA 
KEZIA 

BETHIA 

KEZIA 
BETHIA 


We'll  be  going  to  our  rests,  Bethia. 

You  mean  your  Miss  Melloney  in  the  picture? 

I  mean  all  whom  ever  he  touched. 

How  did  he  bring  death  to  your  Miss  Mel- 
loney? 

How  does  any  Judas  bring  death? 

[BETHIA  nods.] 

And  now  to-morrow  his  daughter  will  bring 
death  to  Master  Bunny. 

No,  no,  Kezia.  Her  ladyship  will  save 
Master  Bunny,  if  it  be  a  case  of  saving. 

She'll  snare  mother  and  son  as  he  snared 
father  and  daughter.  He  brought  death  in 
his  touch  and  so  will  she. 

She  was  all  in  all  to  you,  your  Miss  Melloney. 

[KEZIA  nods.} 
And  she  died,  of  a  kiss. 

No  matter  how  she  died. 

When  it  is  all  summed,  when  we  come  to  our 
ends,  we  women,  we  had  rather  have  that 
than  the  nothing  some  of  us  have. 
[IS] 


Melloney  Holtspur 

KEZIA 

Maybe,  woman.  I  had  a  love  once,  withered 
as  I  am.  He  could  not  marry  me.  He  had 
to  tend  his  old  mother,  and  died  before  her. 

BETHIA 

I  never  had  that.     I'd  nothing. 

KEZIA 

Nothing? 

BETHIA 

There  was  one  I  used  to  watch  for,  riding  by; 
but  he  never  knew.     He  was  killed  in  the 
Egypt  War.     I  could  have  died,  of  a  kiss. 
KEZIA 

At  this  moment,  at  the  dance,  Master  Bunny 
would  die  for  one.  May  them  of  this  house 
guard  their  own,  from  the  evil  here  and  evil 
coming.  Amen.  Give  me  your  arm,  woman. 
Since  my  Miss  Melloney  died  it's  been  an 
uphill  road  with  me;  but  there's  rest  from  it 
all  at  the  end. 

[They  go  out,  Left.  After  a  minute's 
delay,  a  clock,  of  to  the  Right,  strikes 
twelve,  and  chimes.  The  figure  of 
SIR  TIRROLD  HOLTSPUR  cries,  "An- 
other Day  is  Dead!  " 

[The  room  is  quite  dark,  except  for  the  moonlight 
that  comes  in  from  the  windows  over  the  portraits. 
As  these  have  scutcheons  in  them,  the  light  on 
the  floor  has  colour  in  it. 
[16] 


Melloney  Holtspur 

The  ghost  of  MELLONEY  HOLTSPUR  is  seen 
moving  silently  on  to  the  stage  from  the  door 
down  stage  Left.  She  is  in  white,  and  is  crying 
silently.  She  moves  gropingly  to  the  centre  of 
the  stage.] 

MELLONEY  HOLTSPUR 

I  am  Melloney  Hcltspur,  the  last  of  old  Jake 
Holtspur's  daughters.  I  cannot  rest.  [She 
comes  down.}  I  died,  in  the  room  above  this, 
eighteen  years  ago.  There  were  three  of  us 
girls;  Hester,  and  Julia,  and  I.  Hester  mar- 
ried. Julia  married.  I  did  not  marry  any- 
one. Julia  Mento  has  this  old  house  now; 
she  with  her  boy,  Bunny,  whom  I  love. 
Twenty-two  years  ago  at  Easter  time! 
Twenty-two  years  ago,  two  hundred  and 
sixty-four  months,  eleven  hundred  and  forty- 
four  weeks,  what  a  lot  of  days,  what  a  lot  of 
nights,  unable  to  rest! 

[Calls.] 

Lonny!  Lonny!  —  No.  He  never  comes. 
Lonny!  Lonny  Copshrews!  Lonny  Cop- 
shrews! 

He  was  the  man  I  wished  to  marry;  that 
was  long  ago,  when  I  was  a  girl.  Lonny  Cop- 
shrews  was  the  man  I  loved.  One  can  only 
love  once,  they  say;  it  is  true.  No  one  could 
love  twice,  like  this.  Love  is  strong  as  death, 
we  used  to  say.  It  is  a  great  deal  stronger. 


Melloney  Holtspur 

Lonny  Copshrews  painted  me.  [She  looks 
at  the  portrait  Left.]  Such  a  one  I  was,  this 
past.  He  has  caught  the  look  to  the  life. 
He  was  a  marvellous  artist,  but  a  very  wicked 
man.  But,  wicked  or  not,  I  love  him.  [She 
kaves  the  portrait  and  goes  to  the  centre  near  the 
man  in  armour.]  One,  two,  three,  four.  Four 
years  between  that  day  and  my  death.  But 
really  I  died  that  day.  [She  calls  again.]  I 
am  so  unhappy;  so  unhappy! 
One,  two,  three,  four.  Eighteen  years  since 
my  death,  and  four  years  before  that,  twenty- 
two  years. 

All  the  Holtspurs  who  ever  were  are  in  this 
house.  They  can  help  me.  Won't  you  help 
me?  Sir  Tirrold  Holtspur,  you  who  founded 
the  family,  and  were  so  brave,  you  can  com- 
fort me.  [She  turns  to  the  man  in  armour. 

She  comes  groping  down  the  stage.} 
There  are  no  Holtspurs  now.  Only  Julia's 
boy,  Bunny.  Watching  Julia  and  Bunny  is 
my  only  joy.  And  little  Susan  Jones,  who 
is  coming  here  to-morrow,  I  love  her.  [She 
goes  up  stage  to  look  at  portrait  Right.]  Lonny ! 
Lonny  Copshrews!  Why  were  you  so  cruel 
to  me?  Oh,  you  beautiful  thing!  That  is 
exactly  you.  Just  as  you  were  twenty-two 
years  ago,  in  this  room,  at  this  time  of  the 
year.  This  is  what  happened  in  this  room 
at  this  time  of  the  year,  twenty- two  years  ago. 
[18] 


MYRTLE 


LONNY 


MYRTLE 


LONNY 


MYRTLE 


LONNY 


MYRTLE 


LONNY 


Melloney  Holtspur 

[The  scene  changes  to  daylight,  so  that 
all  the  room  can  be  clearly  seen. 
Enter  MYRTLE  WEST  with  LAUR- 
ENCE COPSHREWS,  Right  Back. 
LAURENCE  COPSHREWS  carries  a 
package  of  about  24"  X  15"  in  his  left 
hand.  He  is  twenty-nine.] 

Miss  Holtspur.  Oh,  sir,  she  is  not  here  after 
all.  She  must  be  upstairs.  I'll  go  to  look 
for  her. 

Thanks. 

What  name  shall  I  say,  sir? 

Copshrews.    Laurence  Copshrews. 

Oh,  yes,  sir. 

Not  the  Rector,  but  from  Paris,  say. 

Very  good,  sir. 

[Exit  MYRTLE  Left  Back.] 

A  jolly  pretty  girl,  that. 

[MELLONEY  enters  Left  Back  almost 
at  once.    She  is  twenty-five.] 
[19] 


Melloney  Holtspur 


MELLONEY 

LONNY 

MELLONEY 
LONNY 

MELLONEY 

LONNY 

MELLONEY 

LONNY 

MELLONEY 
LONNY 
MELLONEY 
LONNY 


[Shaking  hands.] 

Why,    Lonny,    welcome    back    from    Paris. 
You're  very  unexpected,  aren't  you? 

I'm  not  often  expected  at  my  home,  even  if  I 
say  I'm  coming. 

Still,  here  you  are.    How  is  Paris? 

It's  all  right,  for  those  that  like  that  kind  of 
thing. 

Your  father  will  be  a  glad  man.    It  must  be 
two  years  since  you  were  here. 

It  isn't.    It's  fifteen  months  and  odd  days. 
You're  very  exact  about  it. 

I've  reason  to  be  exact.    It  was  the  last  time 
I  saw  you. 

It  has  seemed  like  two  years  to  your  father. 
So  he  said.    I  don't  like  my  father. 
I  know.     I  cannot  think  why. 

He  has  been  the  thing  I've  had  to  fight  since 
I  was  five. 

[20] 


MELLONEY 


LONNY 


MELLONEY 


LONNY 


MELLONEY 


LONNY 


MELLONEY 


LONNY 


Melloney  Holtspur 

Now  that  you  have  beaten  him,  you  can  be 
generous. 

I  don't  know  that  I  have  beaten  him. 
You've  made  your  own  way.    You're  famous. 

I'm  notorious.  That  doesn't  prove  him 
wrong  about  me.  Why  did  he  put  me  into 
that  insurance  office  when  I  was  only  fifteen? 

He  wanted  to  be  sure  that  you  had  a  calling 
to  be  a  painter. 

In  the  divine  arts  everybody  is  called,  but 
people  like  my  father  intervene.  And  he  had 
had  fair  warning  not  to  interfere  with  me.  He 
tried  the  same  game  on  my  brother  Bill,  and 
Bill  ran  away  to  sea.  He  was  drowned  some- 
where off  Sydney  Heads  on  the  day  I  was 
born.  I  wish  Bill  had  lived.  I  can't  tell 
you  how  much  I  wish  that  Bill  had  lived. 

You  mean  that  you  would  have  loved  to  have 
had  a  brother? 

I?    No,  I'd  have  knocked  his  head  off,  or 
he  mine.     No,  for  a  very  different  reason. 
[21] 


Melloney  Holtspur 

MELLONEY 

What?    May  I  know? 

LONNY 

I'll  tell  you  some  day.  I  suppose  my  father 
is  loved? 

MELLONEY 

Very  much. 

LONNY 

People  go  to  him  in  trouble  and  that  kind  of 
thing? 

MELLONEY 

They  do. 

LONNY 

When  he  dies,  they'll  all  turn  out,  to  carry 
him  to  his  grave? 

MELLONEY 

I  hope  that  that  will  not  be  for  many  years  to 
come. 

LONNY 

But  they  will? 

MELLONEY 

Yes,  Lonny;  all  the  village. 

LONNY 

That  is  the  test,  I  suppose:  what  they  think 
of  you  while  you  are  still  new  to  your  coffin. 
They'd  weep  and  they'd  bring  wreaths. 

MELLONEY 

Would  not  you,  Lonny? 
[22] 


Melloney  Holtspur 


LONNY 

MELLONEY 

LONNY 
MELLONEY 

LONNY 
MELLONEY 

LONNY 

MELLONEY 
LONNY 

MELLONEY 


Weep,  and  lay  flowers  for  my  father?  No,  by 
God.  [He  moves  rapidly  over  to  Right  and 
lights  a  cigarette.] 

Lonny!  [No  answer.]  Lonny!  [No  answer.] 
I  won't  have  you  here,  Lonny,  if  you  swear. 

All  right;  turn  me  out.    Do. 

I  don't  want  to  turn  you  out.  I  want  you 
not  to  speak  like  that. 

I'll  speak  my  mind. 

Do.  You  have  a  beautiful  mind.  But  that 
was  not  your  mind:  that  was  your  Devil. 

You  ought  to  be  sorry  for  a  Devil.  He  is  in 
hell. 

What  do  you  mean  by  that? 

In  hell?  In  the  depths  of  himself.  But  I'd 
rather  be  in  hell  than  safe  in  the  fold  with  a 
sheep  like  my  father. 

Lonny,  I  won't  hear  your  father  abused.     He 
is  a  good  priest  and  a  devoted,  unselfish  man. 
[23] 


Melloney  Holtspur 


LONNY 

MELLONEY 

LONNY 

MELLONEY 
LONNY 


MELLONEY 
LONNY 

MELLONEY 
LONNY 


You  prefer  him  to  your  own  father,  don't  you? 
Lonny,  that's  not  fair. 

Miss  Melloney  Holtspur  doesn't  get  on  with 
her  father.  I  can't  think  why. 

I  should  have  thought  you  could  have  guessed 
why. 

Perhaps  I  have  guessed.  You're  very  like 
your  mother,  and  you  are  still  on  your 
mother's  side,  against  your  father,  who  was 
a  beast  to  her.  But  I  do  get  on  with  your 
father:  I  like  him.  He's  real.  Not  many 
ruined  squires  could  have  built  up  this  big 
cement  works.  Besides,  he  was  the  first  man 
here  to  see  what  I  am,  and  he  buys  my  pic- 
tures. He  doesn't  pay  me  enough  for  them. 

Who  could? 

He  couldl  And  then,  Melloney,  he's  your 
father,  and  I  find  him  damned  useful  as  a  dic- 
tionary. 

What  do  you  mean? 

You're  a  very  interesting  book  to  me,  Miss 
Melloney  Holtspur. 
[24] 


Melloney  Holtspur 


MELLONEY 


LONNY 


MELLONEY 


LONNY 


MELLONEY 


LONNY 


MELLONEY 


And  do  you  think  you  can  read  me? 

I  don't  want  to  read  you.  I  want  to  get  you 
by  heart.  But  I  come  upon  all  sorts  of  words 
that  I  don't  understand,  and  then  I  look  them 
up  in  the  dictionary. 

Do  you  find  them  in  your  dictionary? 

Sometimes.  But  sometimes  I  only  find  them 
in  the  dark  night  when  I  can't  sleep,  when  I 
go  up  and  down  in  my  mind,  and  trace  out 
what  you  are.  This  life  is  a  mysterious  game, 
and  we  only  play  half  our  game  ourselves. 

Surely  we  live  our  own  lives,  Lonny. 

I'm  not  so  sure.  But  I'm  sure  it  would  have 
been  a  very  miserable  game  for  me,  but  for 
you.  By  God,  when  my  father  beat  me  and 
I  wanted  to  kill  him  or  myself,  you  were  the 
only  bright  thing  left.  By  God,  you  were 
an  angel  to  me.  However,  you  look  out. 
Those  who  are  angels  to  me  get  chastened. 
Save  a  rogue  from  the  gallows  and  he'll  cut 
your  throat.  Now  I've  warned  you. 

I've  already  been  warned,  thank  you,  Lonny. 
[25] 


LONNY 


MELLONEY 


LONNY 

MELLONEY 
LONNY 

MELLONEY 
LONNY 


Melloney  Holtspur 

Oh?  Come  on  out,  then,  and  have  a  set  of 
tennis. 

We  can't.    The  court's  not  marked. 
Is  your  dog  Sam  alive  still? 
Very  much  alive. 

Well,  you  go  and  get  Sam  and  I'll  go  and  get 
my  gun,  and  we'll  have  a  bit  of  ratting  round 
the  granary.  Your  father  wouldn't  mind. 

We  can't,  Lonny.  Julia's  here  with  her  baby 
boy,  and  you'd  wake  him. 

I  didn't  know  Julia  had  a  baby.  What's  his 
name? 

We  call  him  Bunny.    He's  nine  months  old. 

I'm  glad  Julia's  got  a  baby.  I'm  very  fond 
of  your  sister  Julia,  and  I  pity  her.  Mento's 
made  a  pot  of  money  over  those  breakwaters 
he  builds,  but  he  drinks  like  a  fish,  and  he 
doesn't  buy  my  pictures.  I  wanted  to  paint 
Julia,  and  she'd  have  been  willing,  but  he  beat 
down  my  price  till  I  could  only  do  a  drawing. 
[26] 


Melloney  Holtspur 


MELLONEY 


LONNY 


MELLONEY 
LONNY 

MELLONEY 

LONNY 

MELLONEY 

LONNY 

MELLONEY 

LONNY 


Did  you  do  a  drawing?  I  don't  remember 
one. 

No.  I  told  him  to  clear  out  and  get  a  tin- 
type taken.  Chaps  like  Mento  want  a  lesson 
now  and  then  that  genius  is  cheap  at  any 
price.  Mento!  He  dropped  ten  thousand 
tons  of  concrete  into  the  sea  and  they  knighted 
him  because  it  sank !  I  could  have  made  him 
immortal  by  painting  Julia;  fairly  immortal, 
that  is;  immortal  enough  for  him. 

You  might  paint  her  now  for  me,  Lonny,  if 
you'd  take  the  commission. 

Well,  I  won't  take  the  commission,  not  from 
you.  Besides,  I  shan't  be  here.  I'm  going. 

Going?    After  just  coming!    Back  to  Paris? 

No  fear!    I've  done  with  Paris. 

Where,  then? 

Some  place. 

Are  you  in  any  trouble,  Lonny? 

Trouble?    Yes,  I'm  a  Devil,  outside  the  pale. 
[27] 


Melloney  Holtspur 


MELLONEY 

LONNY 

MELLONEY 

LONNY 

MELLONEY 


LONNY 
MELLONEY 


LONNY 
MELLONEY 

LONNY 
MELLONEY 


Could  I  help  in  any  way? 

Yes. 

How? 

You  could  shoot  me  dead. 

Lonny,  never  speak  like  that,  no  matter  what 
trouble  you  are  in.  Come  and  tell  me  the 
trouble.  Are  you  in  want  of  money,  or  wor- 
ried about  your  work,  or  in  a  mess  with  some- 
one, or  what  is  it? 

It's  all  of  those  things. 

Then  sit  down  here  and  we'll  get  it  all 
straight,  just  as  we  used  to  in  the  old  days. 
First,  you're  in  want  of  money.  How  much 
money? 

You  can  go  to  blazes! 

I  don't  like  blazes,  Lonny.  I  like  keeping 
cool.  How  much  did  you  say? 

Both  hands  in  the  till. 


Fifty  pounds? 


[28] 


Melloney  Holtspur 


LONNY 
MELLONEY 

LONNY 

MELLONEY 
LONNY 


MELLONEY 


LONNY 


MELLONEY 


I'm  not  good  at  sums. 

I'll  give  you  fifty  pounds  for  a  pastel  of  Julia, 
or  for  two  charcoal  drawings,  one  of  Julia, 
one  of  Bunny.  I'll  write  you  a  cheque  now. 

You  will  just  kindly  go  to  hell.  Damn  it!  I 
wish  I  didn't  swear  so. 

I  wish  you  didn't,  Lonny. 

But  you  go  a  bit  too  far  with  me,  offering  me 
money  like  a  damned  picture-dealer.  You 
aren't  going  to  give  me  money.  You're  on 
the  free  list  with  me.  What  I  am  is  yours, 
all  that's  holy  of  me. 

I'm  sorry  I  mentioned  money,  Lonny.  We 
will  pass  to  the  next  matter.  Now  "damns 
have  had  their  day,"  remember.  One  more 
damn  or  hell,  and  I  ring  for  Kezia  to  show 
you  out.  Now  be  your  nice  self,  and  say 
you're  sorry. 

You  shouldn't  have  insulted  me  with  your 
charity. 

I  won't  have  my  aesthetic  sense  called  names. 
Now,  why  are  you  worried  about  your  work? 
[29] 


LONNY 


MELLONEY 


LONNY 


MELLONEY 


LONNY 


MELLONEY 


LONNY 


Melloney  Holtspur 

Because  I've  gone  outside  the  pale,  and  be- 
come a  Devil.  D'you  think  I  care  for  this 
green  earth?  I  don't.  I've  put  to  sea  from 
it,  and  my  art's  my  boat,  and  the  sea's  rough 
and  my  boat's  leaky.  Worried  about  my 
work?  I've  given  my  soul  for  it,  and,  after 
all,  it  isn't  good,  it  isn't  good. 

It  is  good,  Lonny. 
It  isn't  good  enough. 

What  have  you  been  painting?  You  haven't 
been  exhibiting. 

Do  you  follow  my  work? 
Of  course  I  do. 

Women  don't  like  art;  it's  their  only  rival. 
They  don't  care  for  art;  they've  too  much 
sense.  They  want  their  loves  to  be  returned, 
so  they  love  the  artists,  not  what  the  artists 
love.  What  is  art  to  you?  What  do  you 
suppose  it  is  to  me?  There's  nobody,  no- 
body on  this  green  earth,  I  wouldn't  sacrifice. 
There's  nobody  I  haven't  sacrificed.  And 
all  just  to  draw  a  line.  There.  There  is  a 
line.  It  isn't  the  line  of  a  master. 
[30] 


Melloney  Holtspur 


MELLONEY 

LONNY 
MELLONEY 


LONNY 

MELLONEY 
LONNY 
MELLONEY 
LONNY 

MELLONEY 
LONNY 


It's  the  line  of  one  who  will  be  a  master.  No 
one  has  been  a  master  at  your  age. 

You  lie,  to  make  me  happy  with  failure. 

I  speak  the  truth  so  that  you  may  not  believe 
the  cowardly  lie  you  are  telling  yourself.  You 
know  that  you  are  a  great  painter.  How 
dare  you  deny  the  holy  spirit  in  yourself? 

How  can  a  holy  spirit  touch  a  creature  like 
me? 

Because  you've  got  to  interpret  it  to  men. 
Why  doesn't  it.  touch  me,  then? 
It  does. 

It  did.  Now  there  is  a  blank;  there  is  black- 
ness, deadness,  dryness.  I've  sacrificed  every- 
thing for  Emptiness. 

What  mess  have  you  been  getting  into, 
Lonny?  Is  it  one  that  you  can  tell  me  about? 

This  world  is  the  mess.  I  ought  not  to  have 
been  born.  It's  my  brother  Bill's  fault  in  a 
way.  If  he'd  been  placid  and  an  ass,  like  my 


MELLONEY 


LONNY 


MELLONEY 


KEZIA 


MELLONEY 


LONNY 


Melloney  Holtspur 

father,  he  would  have  stayed  at  home  and 
been  a  comfort,  as  they  call  it.  He  would 
have  done.  I  wouldn't  have  been  wanted.  I 
wouldn't  have  been  born.  All  they  gat  me 
for  was  to  be  a  consolation  to  my  mother, 
who  died  when  I  was  one.  But  for  Bill  they 
might  have  left  me  alone.  I'd  have  been  in 
the  night  of  nothing.  And  all  this  suffering 
wouldn't  have  been. 

What  suffering? 

The  suffering  I  bring  wherever  I  go. 

[Enter  KEZIA  SPINTTELD,  Left  Back. 
She  sees  LONNY  and  is  visibly  dis- 
composed, but  advances  down  stage.] 

Yes,  Kezia? 

It  is  Minnie  Bracknell,  Miss  Melloney,  come 
over  from  Nap  Hill  from  Mrs.  Holyport. 

Oh,  yes,  I  had  forgotten!  Excuse  me,  Lonny. 
I'll  go  to  her,  Kezia. 

[Exit,  Left  Back.] 

Good-morning,  Miss  Spinfield. 

[KEZIA  gulps.    They  eye  each  other.] 
Did  you  speak? 

[32] 


Melloney  Holtspur 

KEZIA 

No,  Mr.  Copshrews. 

LONNY 

My  mistake.    [They  eye  each  other.] 
KEZIA 

Mr.  Copshrews  — 

LONNY 

Yes? 

KEZIA 

You  had  best  go  out  of  this  house,  sir. 

LONNY 

Why? 

KEZIA 

Then  you  won't  bring  suffering  where  it  isn't 
deserved. 

LONNY 

I  don't  know  what  you  are  talking  about. 
KEZIA 

You  understand  me  well  enough,  Master 
Laurence.  You  can  lose  me  my  bread  by 
complaining.  You've  no  business  to  be  here, 
sir. 

LONNY 

What  do  you  mean  by  no  business?  You 
mind  your  own  business,  in  your  own  kitchen, 
with  your  own  broom.  Lord,  you  take  some- 
thing on  yourself! 

KEZIA 

I  do,  Master  Laurence,  I  take  a  great  deal  on 
myself. 

[33] 


Melloney  Holtspur 

LONNY 

Well,  spare  yourself  the  trouble,  where  I'm 

concerned. 
KEZIA 

I  would  I  could,  Mr.   Copshrews.    You're 

not  a  fit  associate  for  those  who  live  here. 

LONNY 

Are  you? 

KEZIA 

I  am  a  servant  here,  Mr.  Laurence.  I  try  to 
do  my  duty. 

LONNY 

Try  to  know  your  place. 

KEZIA 

It  does  not  become  you  to  remind  me  of  my 
place,  Mr.  Copshrews.  What  one  does  in 
the  place  gives  the  station.  You  are  presum- 
ing too  much  in  coming  to  Miss  Holtspur. 
There's  a  woman  now  at  this  door,  Mr.  Cop- 
shrews. 

LONNY 

What  woman  is  that? 

KEZIA 

Minnie  Bracknell,  that  you  painted  when  you 
were  here  last,  that  you  made  the  talk  of  Nap 
Hill. 

LONNY 

The  dirty  mind,  and  the  dirty  tongue,  and 
the  dirty  soul  of  Nap  Hill  make  the  talk  of 
Nap  Hill,  and  the  blackbeetle  soul  of  the  brick 
[34] 


Melloney  Holtspur 

Bethel  makes  you.  Now  you  clear  right  out 
of  here,  Kezia  Spinfield,  or,  old  as  you  are, 
I'll  set  Devils  on  you.  I  am  drawing  you, 
now,  and  making  your  graven  image,  and  if 
ever  you  presume  to  speak  to  me  again  like 
this,  I'll  burn  you  in  a  slow  fire  and  make  you 
dwindle  away.  Do  you  know  what  you 
ought  to  do? 

KEZIA 

My  duty  to  those  I  love,  Mr.  Copshrews. 

LONNY 

No.  Your  duty  to  those  you  hate.  Paint 
your  cheeks  and  gather  roses,  and  run  naked 
through  the  streets,  and  take  your  fill  of  love 
until  the  even.  Then  you  may  know  more 
of  the  sinners  for  whom  Christ  died.  You 
vinegar  in  the  salad  of  your  neighbour's  sin, 
get  out! 

KEZIA 

I  am  going,  Mr.  Copshrews.  It  is  no  very 
great  credit  to  a  gentleman  to  miscall  a  serv- 
ant. But  I've  seen  you  what  you  are  and 
told  you;  no  fit  company  in  this  house.  Pride 
will  be  known,  Master  Copshrews,  and  sin 
punished. 

LONNY 

O,  la,  la! 

[Exit  KEZIA,  Left.] 
I  wonder  how  much  that  old  Devil  really 

[35] 


Melloney  Holtspur 

knows !    However,  now  that  the  coast  is  clear, 

I'll  return  my  borrowings.  Is  the  coast  clear? 
[He  takes  a  package  from  his  pocket, 
goes  rapidly  to  Back  of  Stage  near 
MAN  IN  ARMOUR,  moves  a  catch, 
opens  a  panel,  puts  the  package  inside 
the  panel  and  closes  it.  As  he  comes 
down  stage,  old  JAKE  HOLTSPUR 
enters,  Right  Back.} 

Good  Lord!  here's  her  father.    How  d'ye  do 

Mr.  Holtspur? 
JAKE 

Ah,  Copshrews!    Going  strong?    You  look 

very  guilty  about  something.    Been  pinching 

the  plate? 
LONNY 

You  gave  me  rather  a  start,  sir.    You're 

looking  well,  sir.    Have  you  been  finding  any 

more  Gainsboroughs? 

JAKE 

Not  I,  by  the  Lord  Harry!    There  are  too 
many   looking   for   them.     Have  you   been 
painting  any  more  romantics? 
LONNY 

I've  one  I'd  like  you  to  see. 

JAKE 

You're  at  the  Rectory?  I'll  come  over  to 
see  it.  Not  to-day,  though.  I'm  going  now 
to  town  to  see  my  Doctor.  He's  cutting 
down  my  alcohol,  and  at  my  age  it's  bad  to 
[36] 


Melloney  Holtspur 

alter  habits.  Have  they  given  you  a  drink 
or  anything?  Will  you  have  a  glass  of  port 
or  something? 

LONNY 

No,  thanks,  Mr.  Holtspur,  I  may  be  painting 
this  afternoon. 
JAKE 

I've  got  some  very  nice  port  still,  for  I  don't 
drink  it  much  myself.  It's  too  sugary  for 
my  complaint.  When  I  was  young,  my 
father  told  me  to  keep  it  for  my  old  age.  Now 
in  my  old  age,  by  gad,  I  daren't  drink  it! 

LONNY 

A  case  of  "If  youth  but  knew!" 
JAKE 

Gladiator  port,  too;  worth  a  guinea  a  pint. 
A  very  pretty  tipple,  Mr.  Copshrews.  But  I 
don't  like  this  abstinence  of  yours.  You 
can't  paint  if  you  don't  drink.  Have  a  Kum- 
mel,  that  can't  do  you  any  harm. 

LONNY 

No,  nothing,  thank  you,  Mr.  Holtspur. 

JAKE 

You  make  me  seem  very  inhospitable.  Let 
me  see,  have  I  done  anything  in  your  line? 
I  bought  the  Colway  Millet  since  I  saw  you, 
Les  Vanneurs.  Are  you  still  Schwarming  for 
Millet?  He  used  to  be  rather  a  pet  of  yours, 
didn't  he? 

[37] 


Melloney  Holtspur 

LONNY 

He  was  one  of  my  toys  when  I  was  a  child. 

I've  sucked  the  paint  off  now  and  he's  lost  his 

taste. 
JAKE 

Who  is  the  present  man? 
LONNY 

Whom   I   admire?    Myself.    A   jolly   good 

painter,  Mr.  Holtspur. 

JAKE 

Well,  there's  nothing  like  faith,  is  there? 
There  was  something  I  wanted  to  ask  you 
about.  Could  you  look  at  some  pictures  for 
me,  on  the  old  terms? 

LONNY 

My  prices  have  doubled. 

JAKE 

Well,  that  was  only  to  be  looked  for.  Come 
and  have  a  gin  cocktail  and  talk  it  over.  At 
least,  have  the  cocktail;  we  must  have  the 
talk  later.  I've  got  to  start.  I'll  come  over 
to-morrow  to  see  your  picture.  You  must 
try  to  overcome  this  drought  of  yours.  I 
don't  like  it.  There's  drought  enough  in  the 
other  world,  by  all  accounts. 

[He  goes  out,  Left  Back.] 
Con  Dios! 

[Enter    MELLONEY  at   Back  Right, 
leading  MINNIE  BRACKNELL.] 
[38] 


Melloney  Holtspur 


MELLONEY 

LONNY 
MINNIE 
LONNY 
MINNIE 

LONNY 

MINNIE 

LONNY 
MELLONEY 

MINNIE 
MELLONEY 


Just  wait  for  one  moment,  Minnie;  I'll  write 
a  note.  [Sits  to  write  at  table.  MINNIE 
stands  Rigkt.] 

Why,  Minnie,  how  are  you? 

Nicely,  thank  you,  sir. 

And  how  is  little  Bobby? 

He's  gone  away,  now,  sir,  back  to  his  mother's. 

What  times  those  were  on  the  ice  that  Christ- 
mas, with  Bobby  and  the  sledge!  You're 
looking  very  well. 

Thank  you,  sir.  Are  you  keeping  on  with 
your  painting,  sir? 

Yes.     I  still  keep  on  with  it. 

This  is  the  note  for  Mrs.  Holyport,  Minnie; 
and  the  linen  will  go  over  by  the  carrier. 

Thank  you,  Miss.  Good-morning,  Miss. 
[Exit  Right.]  Good-morning,  sir. 

Good-morning.  I  forgot  that  you  knew 
Minnie.  Let  me  see.  You  painted  her,  did 
you  not? 

[39] 


Melloney  Holtspur 

LONNY 

Remy  and  I  both  drew  her  a  year  ago,  when 
Remy  was  here  with  me. 

MELLONEY 

Did  you  think  her  pretty? 

LONNY 

Yes,  fruit  is  pretty:  that's  why  it  gets  eaten. 

MELLONEY 

Even  forbidden  fruit? 

LONNY 

That's  eaten  first:  see  Genesis. 

MELLONEY 

Did  you  taste  this  fruit? 

LONNY 

No,  but  I  was  a  damned  fool  not  to,  if  that's 
the  kind  of  thing  you  think. 

MELLONEY 

I  do  not  like  your  Monsieur  Remy. 
LONNY 

He  is  a  good  friend  and  quite  a  good  painter. 

MELLONEY 

A  man  may  be  all  that  and  yet  a  very  bad 
influence. 
LONNY 

Well,  he's  coming  to  live  here  next  year,  so 
you  can  reform  him.  Who's  the  new  maid 
you've  got? 

MELLONEY 

The  maid  who  let  you  in?    Myrtle  West. 
[40] 


Melloney  Holtspur 

LONNY 

She's  pretty. 

MELLONEY 

You'd  better  paint  her. 
LONNY 

I  was  thinking  so. 

MELLONEY 

What  did  you  do  to  Kezia  while  I  was  out  of 
the  room? 

LONNY 

I've  an  old  feud  with  that  old  hag. 

MELLONEY 

She's  a  dear  soul,  Lonny,  and  she's  shaking 
like  a  leaf. 
LONNY 

She  shouldn't  believe  evil,  then. 

MELLONEY 

What  have  you  done  to  make  her  believe  evil? 
LONNY 

I've  got  to  be  myself,  I  suppose.  Once,  when 
I  was  a  boy,  she  caught  me  trying  to  raise  the 
Devil. 

MELLONEY 

You? 

LONNY 

I  had  to  have  some  antidote  to  my  father. 

MELLONEY 

You  might  have  stopped  short  of  the  Devil, 
I  should  have  thought. 
[41] 


Melloney  Holtspur 


LONNY 


MELLONEY 


MELLONEY 
LONNY 


MELLONEY 


LONNY 


I  did.  He  didn't  come.  I  wasn't  worth  it. 
But  I  believe  in  the  Devil.  He  was  the  first 
artist  to  quarrel  with  the  Royal  Academy. 

Now,  Lonny,  that  is  enough.  I  will  not  per- 
mit it.  You  must  please  go.  You've  been 
very  rude  to  me.  You  have  upset  a  poor  old 
woman,  and  you  make  these  offensive  and 
blasphemous  attempts  at  jokes. 

So  you  turn  me  out? 

Yes,  I  do,  unless  you  will  apologise. 

Well,  I  won't  apologise.  Remember,  if  I  go 
now,  you'll  not  see  me  within  these  doors 
again. 

Very  well,  Lonny. 

Very  well,  then.  I  hope  you'll  have  a  happy 
life  with  your  Kezia  They'll  make  you 
elder  at  the  Bethel  if  you  keep  on.  Or  even 
a  prophet  at  the  Ebenezer.  Good-bye. 
[Turns  Right] 

Good-bye,  Lonny. 

And  I'll  paint  Myrtle  West  and  Minnie 
Bracknell. 

[42] 


Melloney  Holtspur 


MELLONEY 
LONNY 

MELLONEY 
LONNY 
MELLONEY 
LONNY 

MELLONEY 
LONNY 
MELLONEY 
LONNY 

MELLONEY 
LONNY 

MELLONEY 


Paint  whom  you  like,  Lonny. 

I  shall. 

[Exit,  Right.] 

Lonny? 

What? 

Aren't  you  forgetting  something? 

[Turning.] 
To  shake  hands?    No. 

No.    I  meant  this  parcel. 
Damn  the  parcel ! 
It  is  yours,  isn't  it? 

[Turns  and  flings  parcel  into  fireplace]  There, 
to  hell  with  it! 

You  missed  hell  by  two  feet. 

[Takes  the  HOLTSPUR  BOOK  and  flings  it  on 
the  floor]  There!  He  turns,  stamping  and 
raging  to  the  Right] 

Oh,  Lonny,  Lonny,  Lonny!    Come. 
[43] 


Melloney  Holtspur 


LONNY 


MELLONEY 


LONNY 


MELLONEY 


LONNY 


Come  where?  You  shouldn't  madden  me. 
It's  all  your  fault.  You  know  the  kind  of 
beast  I  am.*  [He  comes  down  Centre  to  face 
her  and  flings  himself  on  his  knees}  I've  been 
a  wild  beast.  Here's  my  knife.  Cut  my 
heart  out,  or  I'll  cut  off  my  fingers  one  by  one. 
I  will.  I  swear  I  will !  Well,  if  you  think  I'm 
joking,  here's  the  first. 

Lonny,  give  me  that  knife;  give  it  here.  How 
dare  you  be  so  weak! 

I've  been  a  beast  to  you,  Melloney,  and  I'm 
going  to  do  penance.  Well,  I'll  put  my 
hands  in  the  fire.  [Runs  at  fire.  She  stops 
him.] 

No,  no,  Lonny,  dear.  I  don't  want  you  to 
do  penance.  But  pick  up  your  drawings; 
they  are  drawings? 

[He  does  so.] 

And  now  pick  up  our  book.  It  is  the  Holtspur 
Book;  manuscript  from  three  centuries. 

[He  picks  it  up  and  dusts  it.] 
David  Mento  thinks  that  a  poem  in  the  manu- 
script alludes  to  a  hidden  treasure  here. 


Oh? 


[44] 


Melloney  Holtspur 


MELLONEY 

LONNY 

MELLONEY 

LONNY 

MELLONEY 
LONNY 


MELLONEY 
LONNY 

MELLONEY 
LONNY 


There's  the  poem.  David  thinks  there  may 
be  a  sliding  panel  connected  with  the  man-in- 
armour. 

Did  he  find  one? 
No. 

Well,  if  the  Scotchman  didn't  find  the 
treasure,  the  Englishman  need  not  look. 

I  thought  you  would  be  thrilled  at  the  thought 
of  a  secret  hoard. 

I'm  not  thrilled  by  anything  except  the  sense 
of  your  goodness  to  me.  Why  are  you  always 
like  God  Almighty  to  me? 

[He  takes  her  hand.    She  pats  his 
hand  and  puts  it  from  her.] 

We're  friends.  I  want  you  to  show  me  your 
drawings. 

There  are  the  drawings,  then. 

[He  moves  away,  Right] 

But  these  are  finished  pictures! 

There  are  drawings  underneath. 
[45] 


Melloney  Holtspur 


MELLONEY 
LONNY 

MELLONEY 
LONNY 

MELLONEY 
LONNY 


MELLONEY 


LONNY 


But  these  are  splendid! 

They're  the  best  things  I've  done.  That 
one's  Yseult.  Do  you  mind  my  painting 
you  for  Yseult? 

I'm  much  touched,  Lonny. 

The  other's  Guinevere.  You'll  be  vexed  at 
my  painting  you  for  Guinevere. 

I  am  very  proud,  Lonny. 

Yseult  —  Guinevere.  Both  took  up  with 
the  fool.  Yseult  married  a  fool  like  me. 
Guinevere  married  a  fool  like  my  father.  A 
wicked  fool  and  a  formal  fool,  whose  touch 
was  death.  You  be  warned  from  the  fool. 
I've  warned  you  now,  fairly.  They  were 
beautiful  women,  who  could  have  married 
anybody;  but  only  the  fool  wanted  them,  to 
that  point. 

The  best  men  in  the  world  gave  their  lives  for 
them. 

Ah!  devotion,  when  it  is  too  late;  the  best 
men  are  full  of  that.    But  the  fools  saw  what 
[46] 


MELLONEY 


LONNY 


MELLONEY 


LONNY 


MELLONEY 


LONNY 


Melloney  Holtspur 

they  were.     Folly  goes  with  vision;  folly  and 

death. 

Melloney,  you  do  not  know  what  you  have 

been  to  me  for  all  these  years. 

I  know  what  you  are  to  me. 

Pah !  what  is  that?  If  I  were  to  die,  it  would 
not  matter  to  you,  but  if  you  were  to  die,  it 
would  kill  me. 

Perhaps  if  you  were  to  die  my  life  might  not 
seem  worth  while. 

What  difference  could  my  death  make  to  you? 
I  think  it  would  make  all  the  difference. 

Melloney,  answer  me  one  thing.  Three 
nights  ago  I  could  stand  it  no  longer;  I  was  in 
Paris;  I  called  you  and  you  answered.  Was 
that  you? 

[MELLONEY  nods.\ 

You  held  out  your  hands  to  me,  like  that,  and. 
I  took  them,  and  it  was  all  like  a  transfigura- 
tion. 

[MELLONEY  nods} 

Over  all  those  miles  —  my  God!  that  was 
your  real  answer  to  me? 
[47] 


Melloney  Holtspur 


MELLONEY 

LONNY 
MELLONEY 
LONNY 
MELLONEY 

LONNY 
MELLONEY 

LONNY 

MELLONEY 
LONNY 

MELLONEY 


I  knew  you  wanted  me,  so  I  stood  at  my  win- 
dow and  turned  to  you,  and  I  know  I  reached 
you,  and  I  was  proud. 

And  happy? 

Very  happy.    Intensely  happy,  for  a  time. 

Only  for  a  time? 

Yes.  Afterwards  I  had  a  terrible  dream 
about  you. 

What  did  you  dream? 

I  cannot  bear  to  think  of  it;  it  was  so  unlike 
you.  You  struck  me  over  the  face,  a  blow 
that  made  me  reel. 

But  that  was  only  a  dream,  Melloney. 
Dreams  go  by  -contraries. 

This  was  no  ordinary  dream. 

Nor  was  the  other,  when  we  met  and  held 
hands;  that  was  the  heart  of  life;  our  two 
souls  understood  each  other. 

Yes.    That  was  the  heart  of  life,  Lonny! 
[48] 


Melloney  Eoltspur 


LONNY 
MELLONEY 

LONNY 
MELLONEY 
LONNY 
MELLONEY 

LONNY 

MELLONEY 
LONNY 


MELLONEY 
LONNY 


Melloney,  beloved! 

Oh,  Lonny,  you  mustn't  call  me  that! 

Why  not?    It  is  what  you  are. 

No,  no,  Lonny. 

Don't  you  like  being  called  that? 

Yes,  dear,  it  was  very  sweet.  But  you  called 
me  that  in  the  dream. 

My  heart's  darling,  then,  that  I  love  and  wor- 
ship. Is  that  better? 

It  could  not  be  better. 

Melloney,  all  these  years  I've  longed  to  take 
your  head  in  my  hands,  as  I  do  now.  It  is 
like  holding  the  Host;  my  God,  I've  painted 
this  head  and  worshipped  this  head  with  all 
I  am  and  can  be. 

Oh,  Lonny,  darling! 

No,  I'm  not  fit  to  kiss  you,  Melloney.    I've 
been  all  down  in  the  slough.     I'm  all  rayed 
red  with  it.     [Pause}    Your  life  is  running 
into  me  like  spring  in  a  beechwood. 
[49] 


MELLONEY 


LONNY 


MELLONEY 


LONNY 


MELLONEY 


LONNY 


MELLONEY 
LONNY 

MELLONEY 
LONNY 


Melloney  Holtspur 

[Kissing  his  hand] 

Lonny,  my  lover,  you'll  not  strike  me  with 
this  hand,  will  you? 

Oh,  Melloney!  you  mustn't  do  that.  I'm 
not  worthy. 

Promise  you  never  will. 

Of  course  I  never  will. 

Because  it  would  kill  me  if  you  did. 

Melloney,  darling,  put  the  nightmare  away. 
Your  eyes  are  all  haunted  with  it.  Your 
eyes  are  black  and  burning.  Shut  your  eyes. 
[He  kisses  her] 

Oh,  Lonny!    Oh,  Lonny! 

My  God,  I'll  always  bless  the  apple-blossom, 
because  it  brought  me  to  you! 

Life  has  not  much  to  offer  us  after  that. 

Whatever  the  past  was,  or  the  future  may  be, 
we'll  have  had  that.  And  this.  [He  kisses 
her  again] 

[50] 


Melloney  Holtspur 

[Enter   KEZIA   SPINFIELD   at  Right 
Back.    She  sees  them  and  is  aghast] 
KEZIA 

Miss  Melloney!  [She  advances  down  stage  and 
the  lovers  break.}  Miss  Melloney! 

MELLONEY 

Yes,  Kezia,  what  is  it? 

KEZIA 

There's  somebody  called,  Miss  Melloney. 

MELLONEY 

Who  is  it,  do  you  know? 

KEZIA 

It's  a  lady,  Miss  Melloney,  to  speak  to  Mr. 
Copshrews. 
LONNY 

What  lady? 

[Enter  MME.  ALINE.] 

MME.  ALINE 

This  lady.    Your  wife. 

LONNY 

So  you  followed  me! 

MME.  ALINE 

You  did  not  think  to  give  me  the  sleep? 
This,  mademoiselle,  is  my  husband;  the 
father  of  my  daughter,  Mees  Lenda  Cop- 
shrews,  aged  three  months,  now  at  your 
Rectoree. 

MELLONEY 

I  did  not  know,  Madam,  that  your  husband 
was  a  married  man. 


Melloney  Holtspur 

MME.   ALINE 

We  have  been  married  fifteen  months. 

MELLONEY 

And  you  have  a  little  daughter.  You  will 
excuse  me.  [Going  Left.]  I  hope  the  little 
daughter  may  grow  up  to  every  beauty  and 
every  happiness.  Kezia,  will  you  come  with 
me? 

[She  bows.    They  go  off,  Back  Left.] 

MME.  ALINE 

Well,  Laurence? 

LONNY 

You've  put  yourself  in  the  cart,  I  hope  you 
know. 

MME.   ALINE 

Comment? 

LONNY 

You've  done  for  yourself.  You  followed  me 
and  you  came  here.  By  George,  that's  the 
very  last! 

MME.  ALINE 

Won't  you  come  back  with  me  and  start 
again? 

LONNY 

No,  I  won't.     Is  that  plain  enough?    Je  wCen 
fiche.    I've  done  with  you.    I  thought  you 
knew  that  a  year  ago.     But  after  this  — 
Anyhow,  we've  no  place  here.     Get  out! 
[52] 


Melloney  Holtspur 


MME.   ALINE 


LONNY 


LONNY 


Will  you  get  out? 
to  discuss. 


Will  I  see  you?    There  is 


You  will  see  me,  sure  enough.  There  is  to 
discuss;  you're  right.  Now  go. 

[ALINE   goes,   Back   Right.    LONNY 

comes  to  table,  Centre.} 

No  more  need  of  these  things !  [He  wraps  the 
drawings  carelessly  and  flings  them  into  the 
hiding-place.  Then  picks  up  the  drawing  of 
KEZIA.]  That's  the  last  drawing  I  shall  do. 
I'll  sign  and  date  it.  My  last;  then  the  date 
—  What  the  devil  is  the  date?  Signed  L.  C. 
There  [Puts  it  in  the  hiding-place,  which  he 
closes.]  I  am  a  rotten  blackguard.  Now 
then  toss  up.  Heads,  I  go  to  the  Isles  of 
Greece.  Tails,  I  join  the  Foreign  Legion. 
[Tosses.]  Heads,  the  Isles  of  Greece!  Threes. 
[Tosses  again.]  Tails,  the  Foreign  Legion. 
One  all.  [Tosses  again.]  Heads,  the  Isles  of 
Greece!  So  be  it. 

[He  goes  swiftly  out,  Back  Right.] 
The  isles  of  Greece,  the  isles  of  Greece, 
Where  burning  Sappho  loved  and  sung. 

[The  light  changes  to  darkness  and 
moonlight  as  before,  and  the  stage  is 
empty.    After  some  seconds  the  MAN 
IN  ARMOUR  says.} 
[53] 


Melloney  Holtspur 


SIR  TIRROLD 


MELLONEY 


BUNNY 


JULIA 


BUNNY 


Another  hour. 

[The  ghost  of  MELLONEY  HOLTSPUR 
enters  as  before  from  Front  Left.} 

That  is  what  happened  in  this  room  twenty- 
two  years  ago  at  this  time  of  the  year.  I 
cannot  get  away  from  it.  Lonny!  Lonny 
Copshrews!  No.  He  has  never  been  here 
since.  [She  comes  right  down  to  Centre  Front] 
I  think  that  a  strange  thing  is  going  to  happen 
here,  for  there  are  colours  and  sounds.  And 
Bunny  is  troubled.  It  can  only  mean  more 
unhappiness ;  for  only  the  sad  thing  happens 
here.  There  is  a  noise  of  wheels,  too;  the 
living  must  be  coming  back.  It  is  my  sister 
Julia,  with  Bunny. 

[She  draws  back  Front  Left,  then  off. 

BUNNY'S  voice  is  heard  off,  saying.] 


Kezia  has  left  the  things  here,  Mother! 

[Enter  LADY  MENTO.] 
Just  wait  till  I  switch  on  the  lights. 
turns  on  all  the  lights.] 


[He 


Only  this  one  light,  Bunny;    my  eyes  are 
tired. 

Right-ho !     [He  switches  all  off  except  a  green- 
shaded  one,  Right.]    Now  sit  you  down.  — 
[54] 


Melloney  Holtspur 

Hullo!  here's  a  note  for  you,  marked 
"Urgent." 

[JULIA  sits  in  chair,  Right] 

Will  you  have  soup  or  coffee,  Mother?  Oh, 
dash!  I'm  making  a  filthy  mess  of  this. 

JULIA 

Soup,  please. 

BUNNY 

This  seems  to  be  soup,  and  here's  a  biscuit. 
I'm  going  to  have  coffee.  [He  pulls  up  a 
chair  beside  his  mother,  to  Left  of  her  and 
slightly  below  her.]  Anything  serious  in  the 
note,  Mother? 

JULIA 

Yes.  Mrs.  Trenchard  is  very  much  worse. 
She  wants  to  speak  to  me  before  she  dies.  I 
wonder  why.  I  must  go  down  before  break- 
fast. They've  been  good  tenants,  the  Tren- 
chards.  Minnie  Trenchard  —  she  used  to 
be  so  pretty.  I'll  leave  word  that  I'm  to  be 
called  at  six.  I  must  be  back  early,  for  the 
Jones  children  will  be  here  at  ten,  and  Miss 
Copshrews  at  eleven.  [Goes  Right,  then  re- 
turns.] And  how  does  the  dance  seem,  in 
memory,  Bunny? 

BUNNY 

It  was  a  clinking  dance. 
JULIA 

Is  Miss  Copshrews  a  ...  clinking  partner? 
[55] 


Melloney  Holtspur 

BUNNY 

She  is.  Mother,  you  knew  Miss  Copshrews' 
father,  the  painter.  Wha.  was  he  like, 
exactly? 

JULIA 

That  portrait. 

[BUNNY  examines  the  portraits} 

BUNNY 

Mother,  you  know,  these  two  portraits  are 
amazing.  I  agree  with  Edward  Boveney; 
Laurence  Copshrews  was  "as  great  a  painter 
as  any  we  have  had." 

JULIA 

He  shocked  me,  I  must  say. 

BUNNY 

Mme.  Copshrews,  his  widow,  married  again 
last  week. 

JULIA 

I  saw  that. 

BUNNY 

Do  you  know  why  she  left  him? 

JULIA 

.  I  should  say  that  the  main  cause  was  Laurence 
Copshrews,  day  in,  day  out,  for  the  year  or  so 
they  were  married. 

BUNNY 

I  think  he  was  ill,  Mother.    He  died  within 
four  years  of  the  parting. 
[56] 


Melloney  Holtspur 

JULIA 

The  Laurence  Copshrews  of  this  world, 
Bunny,  don't  stand  the  strain  of  any  real 
relationship;  friendship,  or  partnership  or 
marriage.  Under  their  intellect,  there  is 
nothing  that  you  can  trust.  [She  rises  and 
comes  to  table,  Centre.] 

BUNNY 

You  don't  mind  Miss  Copshrews  coming, 
Mother? 

JULIA 

She  seems  a  nice  young  woman.  I  shall  be 
glad  to  know  her  better.  I  did  not  like  her 
parents. 

BUNNY 

I  am  very  glad  that  she  is  coming,  Mother. 
JULIA 

Yes,  Bunny.  I  want  you  always  to  be  glad, 
Bunny. 

BUNNY 

Thank  you,  Mother.  Mother,  I  saw  Edward 
Boveney  there  this  evening  for  a  minute.  He 
said  that  Laurence  Copshrews'  best  works 
were  small  paintings  of  the  Arthur  story, 
which  he  had  seen,  but  which  have  absolutely 
disappeared.  I  wondered  if  they  could  pos- 
sibly be  here,  stored  away  somewhere. 

JULIA 

Your  Father  went  through  everything  when 
your  Grandfather  died.     He  found  no  paint- 
[57] 


Melloney  Eoltspur 

ings  except  these  and  those  that  were  burned. 
There  were  some  unimportant  letters  from 
Laurence  Copshrews.  Your  Father  burned 
them. 

BUNNY 

I  wish  that  they  had  not  been  burned.    Too 
much  has  been  burned.     I  would  like  this 
house  to  have  all  its  records  that  Laurence 
Copshrews  came  here. 
JULIA 

Does  not  Miss  Copshrews  know  about  the 
paintings? 

BUNNY 

No. 

JULIA 

The  French  woman  may  have  them. 
BUNNY 

Edward  Boveney  says  not. 

JULIA 

Lonny  left  them  in  Greece,  then. 

BUNNY 

I  hoped  that  they  might  be  here  somewhere. 
JULIA 

They're  not. 

BUNNY 

This  is  a  strange  house,  Mother.    A  lot  of 
Holtspurs  have  lived  and  died  in  it.     It  must 
be  full  of  us.     I  sometimes  wonder  if  they 
don't  take  a  part  in  our  lives. 
[583 


Melloney  Holtspur 

JULIA 

We  know  that  they  do  not,  Bunny. 

BUNNY 

I  know,  Mother.  But  you  are  used  to  this 
house.  I'm  only  just  beginning  to  realise  it. 
It  holds  all  the  secrets  of  all  the  Holtspurs  for 
four  hundred  and  fifty  years.  I  wonder  if 
there  are  any  secret  rooms! 

JULIA 

You'll  find  nothing  romantic  here,  Bunny. 
Some  of  the  romance  went  when  water  was 
laid  on,  and  more  when  electric  light  was 
installed,  but  the  last  went  when  we  put  in 
central  heating.  The  ghosts  are  all  laid  and 
the  skeletons  are  all  buried. 

BUNNY 

But  there  is  romance,  Mother.  And  the  most 
romantic  painter  of  modern  times  was  here, 
and  to-morrow  his  daughter  will  be  here. 

JULIA 

I  wonder,  will  she  find  romance  here,  Bunny! 

BUNNY 

I  wonder  that  too,  Mother. 

JULIA 

Good-night,  my  dear  boy.  Will  you  switch 
on  the  stair  lights,  and  then  put  out? 

BUNNY 

Yes,  Mother.     Good-night. 
[59] 


Melloney  Holtspur 

JULIA 

[Moving  off  Right.] 
Good-night. 

BUNNY 

[Alone.] 

Lenda  —  Lenda  Copshrews.  .  .  .  This  place 
seems  full  of  the  Holtspurs.  .  .  .  Who  is 
that  there? 

[MELLONEY  enters  noiselessly  from 
Left  to  the  back  of  stage.] 

Midnight  fancies!     [He  switches  off  the  last 
light.]    It's  time  for  bed.    [He  moves  ojf  Left 
across  a  dark  stage,  crooning.] 
The  hunt  is  up,  the  hunt  is  up, 
And  it  is  well-nigh  day, 
And  Harry  the  King  is  gone  a-hunting, 
To  bring  a  deer  .  .  . 

(X   door  shuts.    Presently  the  clock 
strikes  three.} 

SIR  TIKROLD 

Another  hour! 

MELLONEY 

[Comes  down  the  siage  in  moonlight 
and  sings  in  a  little  low  voice.] 

Plaisir  d'amour  ne  dure  qu'un  moment, 
Chagrin  d'amour  dure  toute  la  vie. 

Curtain 
[60] 


ACT  II 


JEMIMA 

MARIA 

JEMIMA 

PETER 

JEMIMA 

PETER 

JEMIMA 

PETER 


ACT  II 

The  same. 

[JEMIMA  JONES  (fourteen)  in  a  chair  Left. 
PETER  JONES  (fifteen)  reading  a  folio  in  a 
chair  Right.  MARIA  JONES  (twelve)  heard  ojf, 
trying  to  pick  out  a  tune  on  the  piano  with  one 
finger. \ 

Maria,  do  stop  that  noise.  Lady  Mento 
doesn't  like  it. 

You  know  quite  well  she's  gone  out.  She 
can't  hear. 

Well,  I  can.  So  stop.  Peter!  [No  answer.] 
Peter!  Peter!  can't  you  answer? 

Oh,  shut  up! 
No,  but  Peter  — 
What  d'you  want? 
Where's  Susan? 

Gone  upstairs.     [Relapses  to  book.] 
[63] 


JEMIMA 
PETER 

JEMIMA 
PETER 
JEMIMA 
PETER 

JEMIMA 
PETER 

JEMIMA 
PETER 

JEMIMA 
PETER 


Melloney  Eoltspur 

I  say,  Peter.    Peter! 

Why  don't  vou  have  the  nerve  killed,  or  have 
it  out? 

I  want  to  ask  vou  something. 

WeU? 

Peter,  how  are  you  enjoying  this? 

This  place  do  you  mean,  or  your  conversa- 
tion?   I'm  not  enjoying  your  conversation. 

This  place,  of  course. 

It's  a  jolly  fine  place,  and  this  is  a  frightfully 
interesting  old  book  about  it. 

Let  me  see. 

It's  a  cut  above  your  sex.    It's  mostly  in 
Lathi. 

Oh,  we  all  know  you're  in  the  Sixth!    But 
it's  all  in  writing,  Peter. 

Of  course,  you  can  only  read  print;  I  forgot. 
[64] 


Melloney  Holtspur 


JEMIMA 


MARIA 


PETER 


BUNNY 


JEMIMA 


BUNNY 


JEMIMA 


PETER 


BUNNY 


PETER 


JEMIMA 


I  read  a  jolly  sight  more  improving  books  than 
you  do.  I'll  bet  this  is  immoral,  or  you 
wouldn't  like  it  so.  I'll  — 

Chuck  it,  you  two;  here's  Bunny. 
[Enter  BUNNY,  Right.] 

Hullo,  Bunny!    Is  it  lunch  time? 
Getting  on.    Is  my  mother  back  yet? 

She's  still  with  poor  Mrs.  Trenchard.  She 
said  don't  wait. 

Has  Miss  Copshrews  come  yet? 

Lenda?  No.  She  telephoned.  She  won't 
be  long. 

How  did  the  sketch  go,  Bunny? 

Pretty  fair.  It's  in  the  studio,  if  you'd  like 
to  see  it. 

I'd  like  to  see  it.    [Rising.] 

You'd  better  get  ready  for  lunch  first,  Peter. 
[65] 


Melloney  Holtspur 


PETER 


JEMIMA 


PETER 


JEMIMA 


BUNNY 


MARIA 


JEMIMA 


MARIA 


JEMIMA 


MARIA 


JEMIMA 


[Going  Left] 

So'd  you.    I  don't  take  quite  such  hours  to 
tidy  as  you  do. 

No,  you  never  wash. 

I  don't.    [Goes  to  door]    I  bathe.    [At  door] 
Squish!      [Exit.    Then    returns    and    says] 
Jemima!    Squish  1 
[Exit] 

You  pig !    Come  back  and  shut  up  your  book. 
He  always  leaves  his  books  about. 

What  is  it?    Oh,  the  Holtspur  Book  again. 
Our  old  manuscript.     I  can't  follow  most  of  it. 

Peter  says  he  can. 

He  would.    He's  always  swanking. 

You  swank  yourself 

Not  more  than  anybody  else. 

Yes,  you  do. 

No,  I  don't. 

[66] 


Melloney  Holtspur 


MARIA 

JEMIMA 

MARIA 

JEMIMA 

MARIA 

JEMIMA 

BUNNY 

MARIA 

JEMIMA 

MARIA 

JEMIMA 


You  do. 
Who  says  so? 
Everybody  says  so. 

There's  no  such  person  as  everybody,  so  there. 
So  squish  flat.  Now  go  and  tidy,  because 
I've  got  to  see  you  tidy. 

It  isn't  time  yet. 

Yes,  it  is.    Isn't  it,  Bunny? 

Getting  on,  I  should  say. 

I'm  going  to  play  "Holy,  holy,  holy"  first. 

No  you  are  not  to,  Maria. 

Yes,  I  am. 

[Runs  of  Right,  and  there  is  a  squab- 
ble and  banging  of  the  piano.] 

[As  the  notes  of  "Holy,  holy,  holy"  rise.] 
That's  very,  very  irreligious,   Maria.    You 
naughty  little  thing! 
[67] 


Melloney  Holtspur 


MARIA 


BUNNY 


MELLONEY 


I'll  spit  if  you  come  any  nearer.  [They  are 
heard  disputing  away  to  the  Right,  of.]  I  can 
spit  jolly  straight. 

[When  the  noise  dies.]  Oh,  Lenda,  come  soon, 
come  soon!  I  cannot  bear  this  waiting. 
[Goes  to  portrait  Right]  Lenda's  father. 
The  profile's  like  her.  [Comes  down]  She 
will  be  here  now  at  any  minute.  Was  that 
the  car?  No,  I  don't  think  she  will  have  me. 
I'm  such  a  duffer.  [He  sits  on  table  Centre 
and  looks  Right]  Listen.  No,  it  is  not  she. 
What  shall  I  do  if  she  won't  have  me?  I 
don't  think  I'll  want  to  live. 

[Enter  the  ghost  of  MELLONEY,  Left] 

[BUNNY  comes  right  down  stage]  I  used  to 
mock  at  people  being  sick  with  love,  but  I 
don't  mock  now.  I  pity  poor  women  in  love. 
If  it's  like  this  to  me,  who  am  a  man,  what 
must  it  be  to  them? 

[The  stage  darkens] 

I  can't  live  in  this  state  of  suspense.  Who 
is  that  there?  Is  that  you,  Susan?  [Looks 
up,  Left]  I  thought  I  saw  someone.  No, 
there's  no  one. 

Courage,  Bunny. 
[68] 


Melloney  Holtspur 

BUNNY 

Courage!    Courage!   But  what  use  is  courage 
in  love? 

MELLONEY 

Love  is  courage. 

BUNNY 

This  thing  is  driving  me  mad.    I  keep  think- 
ing I  hear  a  voice. 

[Exit    MELLONEY,    Right.      SUSAN 
(eleven)  entering,  Left.} 

SUSAN 

Hullo,  Bunny!    [Enters  Left] 
BUNNY 

Oh,  Susan,  my  dear,  come  and  keep  me  com- 
pany.   Where  have  you  been? 

SUSAN 

Having  a  lovely  time. 

BUNNY 

What,  all  by  yourself? 

SUSAN 

No,  indeed. 
BUNNY 

But  the  others  have  been  down  here  ragging. 
Were  you  with  Kezia? 

SUSAN 

No,  I  was  with  the  lovely  lady. 
BUNNY 

Oh!  which  lady  is  that?    Do  you  mean  my 
mother? 

[69] 


Melloney  Holtspur 

SUSAN 

No.    That.    [Going  to  MELLONEY'S  picture.] 

BUNNY 

That? 

SUSAN 

Yes.    Didn't  you  -see  her? 

BUNNY 

I?    Just  now,  do  you  mean? 

SUSAN 

Yes.    I  heard  you  talking  to  her. 
BUNNY 

I  was  talking  to  myself. 

SUSAN 

She  said  she  was  going  to  comiort  poor  Bunny. 
Did  you  want  to  be  comforted? 
BUNNY 

What  on  earth  does  the  child  mean?  Com- 
forted? One  has  bad  moods  sometimes. 
Tell  me  about  this  lovely  lady. 

SUSAN 

No. 

BUNNY 

Do,  Susan.    Why  won't  you? 

SUSAN 

I'm  too  happy. 
BUNNY 

That's  jolly.    Happy  at  being  here? 

[SUSAN  nods.] 

You  must  come  here  often  then. 
[70] 


Melloney  Eoltspur 

SUSAN 

I  was  always  afraid  of  coming  before,  but  not 
now;  it's  such  a  happy  house.  You  see,  it's 
her  home. 

BUNNY 

The  lady's?    Yes. 

SUSAN 

I  never  knew  where  she  lived  till  to-day. 
Were  you  ever  ill  here,  Bunny? 
BUNNY 

No,  I've  never  been  ill.  And  I've  only 
lived  here  a  little  while. 

SUSAN 

When  I  was  at  home  I  was  ill  once  and  had  to 
live  in  bed  —  scarlet  fever.  Oh,  it  was  lovely 
at  nights !  She  used  to  come  to  sit  by  my  bed 
and  put  her  arm  round  me. 

BUNNY 

Was  that  the  first  tune  you  ever  saw  her? 

SUSAN 

Yes,  but  of  course  I  always  thought  of  her, 
before  that;  ever  since  I  can  remember. 

BUNNY 

And  then,  when  you  had  scarlet  fever,  she 
came? 

SUSAN 

Oh,  I  was  glad  when  she  came,  for  of  course 
when  she  was  there  the  little  devil-man 
couldn't  tickle  me. 


Melloney  Holtspur 

BUNNY 

Did  he,  before? 

SUSAN 

He  tickled  me  and  tried  to  put  me  down  the 
well. 

BUNNY 

But  she  stopped  that?  That  must  have  been 
blessed. 

SUSAN 

That  wasn't  the  blessedest  thing.  That  is 
when  she  sings.  When  she  sings,  all  the  dear 
little  bunny  rabbits  come  out  of  the  wall, 
and  the  dear  little  robins,  and  all  the  people 
who  live  here  —  I  don't  mean  you,  but  Him. 

BUNNY 

The  man  in  the  picture? 

SUSAN 

No.  He  doesn't;  but  the  man  in  armour 
does,  and  he  puts  back  his  helmet  and  opens 
his  side,  and  the  man  in  the  red  coat  comes, 
and  all  the  others  who  live  here. 

BUNNY 

All  to  hear  the  song?  What  song  does  she 
sing? 

SUSAN 

I  shan't  tell  you. 

BUNNY 

Oh,  Susan!  won't  you  tell  poor  old  Bunny? 

SUSAN 

No.    Unless  you  promise  not  to  tell. 
[72] 


Melloney  Holtspur 

BUNNY 

I  won't  tell. 

SUSAN 

Promise. 

BUNNY 

Faithfully. 

SUSAN 

Clean  potato;  deal  with  you  forever? 

BUNNY 

Clean  potato;  deal  with  me  forever. 

SUSAN 

It's  a  very  religious  song  about  a  prophet. 

BUNNY 

Has  it  a  name? 

SUSAN 

Yes.  The  Seer  Demur.  Seer  means  a  prophet, 
'cos  I  looked  it  out. 
BUNNY 

Yes.    And  what  does  the  Seer  Demur  do  hi 
the  song?    What  does  the  song  mean? 

SUSAN 

It  hasn't  got  a  meaning;  it's  religious  like  in 
church. 

BUNNY 

Ah!  yes.    And  has  she  been  singing  to  you 
to-day? 

SUSAN 

All  the  time,  Bunny.    Oh,  Bunny,  I  think 
something  very  important  is  going  to  happen, 
'cos  I'm  so  happy. 
[73] 


Melloney  Holtspur 


BUNNY 

SUSAN 

BUNNY 

SUSAN 

MELLONEY 
BUNNY 

SUSAN 

BUNNY 
SUSAN 

BUNNY 

SUSAN 


I  think  so,  too,  my  dear. 
Haven't  you  heard  her  singing? 
No. 

But  listen.     She's  singing  there. 

[Very  faintly  of,  Left,  the  voice  of 
MELLONEY  is  heard,  singing.] 

Plaisir  d1  amour  ne  dure  qu'un  moment, 
Chagrin  d1  amour  dure  toute  la  vie. 
[A  door  shuts  and  kills  the  noise.] 

That's  the  voice  that  I  used  to  hear  when  I 
stayed  here  when  I  was  little  .  .  .  and  then, 
just  now. 

This  is  a  very,  very,  very  happy  house,  Bunny. 
I  hope  it  always  will  be,  Susan. 

Bunny,  do  you  think  I  could  kiss  the  lovely 
lady?  [Going  back.] 

Kiss  a  picture,  my  dear?    I  wouldn't. 

You  would;  for  I  saw  you  kiss  that  little  one 
on  your  desk  this  morning. 

[74] 


Melloney  Holtspur 

BUNNY 

Oh !    You  see  too  much.    Well,  kiss  her,  then. 

SUSAN 

[Kissing  portrait.] 

Good-bye,  lovely  lady.  Now  here's  Kezia, 
to  make  me  wash  my  hands  for  lunch. 

[Enter  KEZIA,  Left.] 
KEZIA 

Now,  come  along,  Miss  Mischief,  to  wash 
those  little  puddocks. 

SUSAN 

[To  her  fingers.]  Mr.  Long  Larder  and  Miss 
Etty  Bodkin,  you  must  come  and  be  washed. 

[Exeunt  Left.    When  they  have  gone, 

BETHIA  enters  Right.] 
BETHIA 

[Speaking  to  someone  still  off.] 
I'm  afraid  her  ladyship  hasn't  come  back  yet. 
Oh,   Master  Bunny;    it's  Miss   Copshrews, 
Master  Bunny. 

BUNNY 

Oh,  I  say!  thank  you,  Bethia.  Talking  to 
Susan,  I  never  heard  your  car.  Come  in! 
Come  in! 

[Enter  LENDA  COPSHREWS,  Right. 
She  is  tall,  dark,  quick,  with  a  fine 
kindling  profile  and  lion-like  carriage 
of  the  head.  Enter  silently,  behind 
LENDA,  the  ghost  of  LONNY  COP- 
SHREWS.  He  remains  at  Back  Right, 

[75] 


Melloney  Holtspur 

•while  LENDA  comes  down  stage  to 
shake  hands  Right  Centre  with  BUNNY.] 

LENDA 

How  do  you  do  ...  Bunny? 

BUNNY 

Well,  Lenda;  I  am  glad  to  welcome  you  here 
at  last. 

LENDA 

I'm  sorry  to  be  late;  I  punctured. 

BUNNY 

Mother's  gone  to  see  an  old  tenant  who  is  ill. 
She  will  be  back  directly.  She'll  be  grieved 
not  to  be  the  first  to  welcome  you.  We'll  be 
lunching  in  a  few  minutes.  Would  you  like 
to  go  to  your  room? 

LENDA 

Thank  you,  but  not  for  just  one  minute, 
Bunny.    I'd  like  to  take  it  all  in. 
BUNNY 

Do  you  remember  this  room? 

LENDA 

I  remember  the  man  in  armour.     Or  I  think 
I  do.    It  is  like  a  memory  of  a  dream.    Was 
my  father  often  in  this  room? 
BUNNY 

Often.  He  didn't  draw  here,  because  of  the 
ligbt.  I'll  show  you  where  he  drew  later  on. 
It  was  in  the  North  Room,  my  grandfather's 
study,  where  the  pictures  were  burned.  But 
he  was  in  this  hall  often.  This  is  his  portrait, 
[76] 


Melloney  Holtspur 

Lenda.     [He  unhooks  it  and  brings  it  down 

for  her  to  see] 
LENDA 

So  that  is  the  portrait.    It  is  one  of  his  best. 
BUNNY 

It  is  like  you,  in  a  way,  in  profile. 

LENDA 

Poor  father! 

BUNNY 

I'll  put  it  on  the  table,  while  I  fetch  you  the 
other;  the  one  of  my  aunt.  This  is  the  one 
he  did  of  Aunt  Melloney.  [He  brings  it  down 
stage  to  her,  to  her  Left] 

LENDA 

It  is  very  beautiful.  A  different  type  from 
your  mother,  Bunny.  I've  known  this  face 
all  my  life.  My  grandfather  always  kept  a 
photograph  of  this  Miss  Holtspur  on  his  desk. 

BUNNY 

They  were  great  friends.  And  she  saw  you 
often  when  you  were  little. 

LENDA 

I  wish  I  could  remember  her,  Bunny. 

BUNNY 

Can't  you? 
LENDA 

No.     Except  that,  standing  here,  I  have  a 
sort  of  memory  of  someone  in  white  standing 
by  the  man  in  armour.    But  I  wasn't  three 
when  I  left  here,  Bunny. 
[77] 


Melloney  Eoltspur 

BUNNY 

I  know.  You  know,  Lenda,  I  can't  remember 
her,  but  I  have  a  sort  of  memory,  like  yours, 
of  someone  in  white,  here,  singing  a  plaintive 
song.  Do  you  remember  Kezia  Spinfield, 
our  old  housekeeper? 

LENDA 

No. 

BUNNY 

She  remembers  both  you  and  your  father.  Of 
course  she  was  here  then.  You  must  talk  to 
her  about  him. 

LENDA 

It  is  wonderful  to  be  here,  where  my  father 
was.  It  means  more  to  me  than  I  can  say. 

BUNNY 

Lenda,  this  portrait  of  your  father  ought  to 
belong  to  you.     We've  no  right  to  it.     I  want 
you  to  let  me  give  it  to  you.     Will  you?    To 
mark  your  first  coming  here? 
LENDA 

Oh,  Bunny,  no.  But  how  beautiful  of  you 
to  think  of  it!  You  say  you  have  no  right 
to  it.  He  thought  you  had.  I  was  reading 
his  papers  only  this  morning.  He  calls  this 
the  only  place  where  he  had  ever  been  happy. 
These  things  were  his  thanks  to  you. 

BUNNY 

Mayn't  they  now  be  my  thanks  to  you,  Lenda, 
for  all  the  happiness  you've  brought  to  me? 


Melloney  Holtspur 

LENDA 

I  couldn't  take  them,  Bunny;  they  belong 
here.  We'll  put  them  in  their  places. 

BUNNY 

Oh,  Lenda,  dear,  don't  cry,  dear! 

LENDA 

I'm  not  crying,  Bunny.  It's  only  a  little 
gush  of  pity  that  he  was  only  happy  here, 
though  he  could  do  these  things.  Is  this  how 
the  hook  goes?  No,  there. 

BUNNY 

It  is  the  one  boast  of  this  house  that  he  was 
happy  here,  Lenda. 

LENDA 

The  world  was  hell  to  him,  all  through  his 
life;    and  through  fire  and  chance  and  fate 
his  best  works  are  lost,  and  yet  the  world  calls 
him  "a  wasted  life." 
BUNNY 

Is  not  that  what  happens  with  all  great  work? 
Only  half  is  allowed.  The  powers  of  evil 
prevent  more. 

LENDA 

The  powers  of  evil  are  in  men  and  women, 
Bunny.  It  is  the  poor  thing  in  us  that  makes 
poverty. 

BUNNY 

Ah,  Lenda!    I  feel  that  there  are  powers  of 
good  and  evil  always  outside  us,  ready  to 
enter  in.     But  I  know  one  thing,  Lenda,  that 
[79] 


Melloney  Eoltspur 

it  is  the  glorious  thing  in  you  that  makes  me 
glorious.  I've  felt  like  a  man  transfigured 
ever  since  I  saw  you  first.  I  know  I'm  not 
clever  like  you,  nor  wise,  nor  beautiful,  nor 
anything,  but  all  there  is  of  me  just  worships 
you.  I  love  you  down  to  the  depths,  Lenda. 

LENDA 

You  should  not  have  said  that,  Bunny. 
BUNNY 

What?    About  depths? 

LENDA 

Yes,  for  I'm  my  father's  daughter.    There 

are  depths  in  me. 
BUNNY 

And  if  there  are,  I'll  love  you  for  them  and 

beyond  them. 
LENDA 

I  believe  you  would,  and  it's  very  sweet  to 

be  so  loved,  Bunny.    But  you  ought  not  to 

have  depths  in  your  life,  Bunny;  only  heights 

and  happiness. 

BUNNY 

I  know  what  I  want  in  life.  You.  I've 
never  been  in  love  before.  I  know  I  never 
can  be  again.  I  know  I'm  not  good  enough 
for  you.  Who  can  be?  Who  could  be?  It 
isn't  always  merit  that  decides  this,  thank 
God ;  that's  why  I  speak.  If  you  can't  have 
me,  you  can't,  and  I  won't  ever  even  speak  of 
it  again.  I  didn't  mean  to  now.  It's  a 
[80] 


Melloney  Holtspur 

mean  advantage  when  you  are  my  guest- 
Only  you're  too  beautiful  not  to  upset  me, 
after  I've  been  waiting  all  these  hours.  So 
there  it  is,  beloved,  and  God  bless  you. 

LENDA 

Yes,  there  it  is,  Bunny;  as  you  say. 

BUNNY 

I  didn't  think  you  could  care  for  me,  Lenda; 
that  was  too  mad  a  hope. 

LENDA 

Bunny,  have  you  been  suffering  like  this  ever 
since  we  met? 

BUNNY 

Yes,  though  it  has  been  happy  suffering. 

LENDA 

Ever  since  the  Wrocester  Hunt  Ball? 

BUNNY 

Yes.  You  came  into  the  ball-room  in  white, 
with  that  sparkle  thing  in  your  hair.  You 
came  with  the  Colways,  and  looked  round  for 
someone. 

LENDA 

And  that  was  the  end  of  your  peace? 

BUNNY 

I  don't  call  it  that.     I  say  it  was  the  beginning 
of  my  glory,  for  to  love  you  is  glory  enough. 
LENDA 

And  then  Mrs.  Boveney  introduced  you. 

BUNNY 

Yes.     God  bless  her. 
[81] 


LENDA 

BUNNY 
LENDA 
BUNNY 

LENDA 
BUNNY 
LENDA 

BUNNY 
LENDA 
BUNNY 

LENDA 


Melloney  Holtspur 

I  pray  God  bless  her,  too,  Bunny,  for  the 
same  reason. 

You  mean  it  has  meant  a  little,  even  to  you? 
It  has  meant  more  than  a  little  to  me,  Bunny. 

Lenda  darling,  I  know  you  won't  torture  me. 
How  much  more  has  it  meant? 

I  think  it  has  meant  just  everything,  Bunny, 
since  first  I  looked  into  your  eyes. 

Then  you  care  for  me,  Lenda,  as  I  care  for 
you? 

Not  care  for  you,  Bunny;  I  love  you,  my 
darling. 

Oh,  Lenda,  my  beloved! 
It's  too  great  joy,  isn't  it? 

Almost.  It's  the  greatest  joy  that  ever  could 
be.  Oh,  Lenda,  you  are  marvellous!  [Gaz- 
ing] 

My  little  Bunny! 
[82] 


Melloney  Holtspur 

BUNNY 

I  wish  I  could  see  my  image  in  your  eyes. 

LENDA 

Your  image  is  in  my  heart,  beloved. 

[They  kiss  and  then  kiss  again.] 

BUNNY 

And  how  are  we  to  come  back  into  the  world, 
after  that? 

LENDA 

With  a  new  heart  and  new  eyes. 

BUNNY 

Please  God,  this  old  hall  will  be  happy  to  you 
as  it  was  to  your  father.  I  think  this  old 
house  must  be  glad  of  our  joy,  Lenda.  All 
the  fifteen  generations  of  Holtspurs  must  have 
felt,  as  we  feel,  in  this  hall.  They  must  be 
here  still. 

LENDA 

And  perhaps  my  father,  too.    I  hope  so. 

BUNNY 

I  hope  so,  too.    And  what  we  hope,  comes. 
[KEZIA  SPINFIELD  enters,  Left.] 

KEZIA 

Mr.  Bunny,  little  Miss  Susan  says  you  prom- 
ised to  blow  her  some  bubbles  while  she  is 
washing  her  hands. 

BUNNY 

I  did.    I'll  come,  Kezia. 
[83] 


Melloney  Holtspur 

KEZIA 

She  says  she'd  come  herself  to  call  you,  but 
she's  all.  soapy. 

BUNNY 

Lenda,  I  don't  think  you've  met  our  old 
friend,  Miss  Kezia  Spinfield.  Miss  Cop- 
shrews,  Kezia. 

[KEZIA  mumbles} 

LENDA 

Why,  you're  the  kind  friend  who  gave  me  the 
sugar-candy  on  little  bits  of  string.  I've 
thought  of  you  so  often.  How  do  you  do? 

KEZIA 

I'm  very  well,  I  thank  you,  Miss  Copshrews. 

BUNNY 

Well,  you  will  talk  about  those  old  times  while 
I  blow  Susan  some  bubbles.  I  won't  be  a 
minute. 

[He  hurries  of,  Left} 

LENDA 

Is  Moo-moo  alive,  still? 

KEZIA 

You  mean  Myrtle  West,  Miss,  that  used  to 
be  the  under-housemaid  here? 

LENDA 

Yes.  I  always  called  her  Moo-moo.  I 
couldn't  say  Myrtle.  She  used  to  give  me 
rides  round  the  garden. 

KEZIA 

No;  she  is  dead,  Miss. 
[84] 


Melloney  Holtspur 

LENDA 

Ah!    How  did  she  die? 
KEZIA 

She  got  into  trouble,  Miss,  and  perhaps  it  was 

better  as  it  was. 
LENDA 

Where  is  she  buried? 
KEZIA 

In  the  waste  bit  at  Naunton  Crucis,  for,  you 

see,  Miss,  she  took  her  own  life,  before  her 

child  was  born. 

LENDA 

And  they  would  not  bury  her  in  the  church- 
yard? 
KEZIA 

No,  Miss. 

LENDA 

The   brutes!    I'll    go    to-morrow    and   put 
flowers  on  her  grave. 

KEZIA 

God  has  done  that,  Miss,  for  poor  Moo-moo, 
for  every  year  her  grave  comes  up  with  the 
crocus,  and  afterwards  the  wild  forget-me-not. 
And  the  little  daisies  are  as  many  as  stars. 
LENDA 

Poor  Moo-moo!    There  was  no  harm  in  her; 
nothing  but  fun.     She  was  like  a  happy  bird, 
singing.     Do  you  remember  my  father  com- 
ing here,  and  painting? 
[85] 


Melloney  Holtspur 

KEZIA 

Yes,  Miss  Copshrews. 

LENDA 

I  never  knew  my  father.  Can  you  tell  me 
something  about  him,  some  memory  of  him, 
so  that  I  can  think  of  him  here? 

KEZIA 

Yes,  Miss  Copshrews;  I  can. 

LENDA 

That  will  be  beautiful  to  me,  if  you  will. 
KEZIA 

I  knew  your  father,  Miss  Copshrews,  as  a 
servant  knows  a  visitor;  without  any  pre- 
tence. God  forgive  me  and  him  and  all  of  us, 
but  he  brought  nothing  but  evil  upon  this 
house. 

LENDA 

Evil?    How? 

KEZIA 

It  is  over,  Miss  Copshrews,  as  far  as  evil  can 
be;  with  the  people  dead.  But  even  poor 
Myrtle  West  was  due  to  him. 

LENDA 

That  is  nonsense;  he  died  while  she  was  still 
here,  and  he  was  dying  for  a  year  before  that. 

KEZIA 

Miss  Copshrews,  long  before  your  father's 
death  he  brought  a  French  friend  here,  a 
Doctor  Remy.  They  used  to  go  sketching 
together.  Afterwards  the  Doctor  was  often 
[86] 


Melloney  Eoltspur 

here,  staying  in  the  village.    He  was  a  young 
man  and  a  handsome  man,  and  he  flattered 
the    girl    with    painting    her   portrait,    and 
brought  her  to  the  grave. 
LENDA 

But  how  can  you  say  that  that  was  due  to 
my  father? 

KEZIA 

Miss  Copshrews,  if  I'm  uncharitable  may  God 
forgive  me,  but  where  the  teaching  errs,  the 
heart  strays.  Like  master,  like  pupil,  in  this 
world,  Miss  Copshrews,  and  like  father,  like 
child. 

[Enter  LADY  MENTO,  Right} 
Miss  Copshrews,  my  lady. 

[Exit  Kezia,  Left.] 
JULIA 

Ah,  Miss  Copshrews,  so  you  are  here !  I  have 
been  to  see  an  old  tenant  who  is  ill.  Has  no 
one  welcomed  you?  Was  not  my  son  here? 

[Enter  BUNNY,  Left.] 

BUNNY 

Yes,  I  was  here,  mother;  but  I've  been  blow- 
ing bubbles  for  Susan.    How  is  Mrs.  Tren- 
chard,  Mother? 
JULIA 

Very  ill  and  wandering.  She  hasn't  spoken 
to  me  yet.  I  must  go  there  again  after  lunch, 
in  case  she  should  speak  before  she  dies.  Miss 
Copshrews,  this  is  a  very  funereal  welcome. 
[87] 


Melloney  Holtspur 

It  is  black  like  the  day.  Will  you  come  with 
me,  now,  so  that  I  may  show  you  your  room? 

LENDA 

Thank  you. 
BUNNY 

Mother,  before  you  go,  I  must  tell  you  that 
I've  asked  Lenda.  here,  to  marry  me  and  we 
are  engaged. 

LENDA 

Will  you  trust  your  son  to  me?  I  love  him 
very,  very  dearly. 

BUNNY 

And  I  her,  Mother. 
JULIA 

My  dear,  and  Bunny.  I  hardly  know  what 
to  say,  though  I  supposed  that  something  like 
this  might  happen.  I  had  hoped  to  have  my 
son  a  little  longer.  Women  cling  to  their 
possessions,  looks,  lovers  and  sons;  time 
takes  them  all;  time  and  other  women.  You 
are  very  like  your  father,  whom  I  knew  a  little. 

BUNNY 

Won't  you  kiss  her,  Mother? 
JULIA 

That  is  your  province  to-day,  my  son.  I 
have  just  come  from  the  presence  of  death, 
and,  I  am  afraid  ...  of  sin,  and  I  am  won- 
dering at  the  meaning  of  it  all,  and  whether 
there  be  a  meaning.  Will  you  come  then, 
child? 

[88] 


Melloney  Holtspur 


LENDA 


JULIA 


LENDA 


BUNNY 


MELLONEY 


LONNY 
MELLONEY 
LONNY 
MELLONEY 


Won't  you  call  me  Lenda? 

[They  begin  to  move  of  to  the  Right] 

Lenda.    Is  that  from  the  Spanish  word  that 
means  pretty? 

It  was  a  name  my  father  chose.    It  means  me. 

To  me  it  means  Everything. 

[They  go  out.  It  darkens.  When 
they  are  gone,  the  ghost  of  LONNY 
COPSHREWS  comes  down  to  the  table, 
Centre,  while  the  ghost  of  MELLONEY 
advances  up  towards  the  table.  MEL- 
LONEY is  singing.] 

Plaisir  d'anwur  ne  dure  qu'un  moment, 

Chagrin  d1  amour  — 

[She   sees   LONNY.]    Lonny!    Is    that   you, 
Lonny? 

Yes. 

What  are  you  doing  here? 

I've  come  here  with  my  daughter. 

Your  daughter,  that  you  robbed  me  of.    How 
dare  you  enter  this  house? 
[89] 


Melloney  Holtspur 


LONNY 
MELLONEY 

LONNY 

MELLONEY 
LONNY 

MELLONEY 
LONNY 


MELLONEY 


I  am  with  my  daughter  everywhere. 

You  are  richer  than  I.  I  am  with  my  misery 
everywhere.  And  you  come  back  to  taunt 
me. 

I  come  back  because  my  daughter  is  going  to 
marry  Bunny. 

Marry  Bunny?    Never!    She  shall  not. 

They  love  each  other,  and  there  are  the  marks 
of  happy  love  on  both  of  them. 

Your  touch  has  done  evil  enough  in  this 
house.  It  shall  not  taint  Bunny. 

I  want  that  old  stain  washed  away  by  their 
happiness. 

[MELLONEY  laughs] 
Is  it  not  time? 

Time?  So,  because  suffering  has  gone  deep 
for  twenty  years,  it  should  be  forgotten?  How 
will  their  happiness  wash  away  what  you  have 
done  to  me?  I  was  young.  I  was  strong. 
I  might  have  borne  children  and  been  happy 
and  fulfilled  myself.  You  broke  me,  body 
and  soul.  Now  I  am  this.  I  had  never 
[90] 


LONNY 


MELLONEY 


LONNY 


MELLONEY 


LONNY 


MELLONEY 


Melloney  Holtspur 

known  that  there  could  be  people  like  you  in 
the  world.  How  could  I?  And  all  my  love, 
all  that  was  beautiful  in  me,  all  my  morning, 
all  my  pride,  for  I  used  to  be  proud,  were  just 
nothing  to  you.  I  might  not  have  had  them. 
They  weren't  what  you  wanted. 

That  is  not  true. 

What  do  you  know  of  truth?    It  is  true. 

I  cared  for  nothing  but  those  things,  but  I  was 
a  dirty  hound  none  the  less. 

And  you  went  on,  just  the  same,  as  though 
nothing  had  happened.  Any  other  woman 
would  have  done,  as  well  as  I,  who  used  to  be 
Melloney.  And  since  then  you  have  had 
your  daughter,  and  I  nothing  but  suffering,  a 
going  down  into  the  grave  and  walking  in 
the  body  of  death.  But  you  shall  now  meet 
your  punishment  from  this  House  that  you 
have  wronged. 

How  can  you  punish  me? 

Thus.  Come,  all  of  you,  dwellers  of  this 
House.  And  you,  the  founder  of  the  House, 
Sir  Tirrold  Holtspur. 

[91] 


Melloney  Holts  pur 

THE  MAN  IN  ARMOUR 

The  Hour  is  come.  For  many  years,  the 
thoughts  of  justice  spread  the  nets  of  justice 
in  the  hearts  of  men.  Now  the  nets  have 
brought  you  to  the  judgment  and  punish- 
ment of  your  sin. 
LONNY 

I  am  already  judged  and  punished.  I  am  hi 
hell. 

THE  MAN  IN  ARMOUR 

How? 

LONNY 

I  know,  now,  that  I  might  have  been  a  great 
artist,  and  was  not,  through  my  own  fault. 

THE  MAN  IN  ARMOUR 

You  have  been  punished  for  your  sin  towards 
yourself,  not  yet  for  your  sins  to  others.  This 
might  have  been  a  happy  woman,  and  was 
not  through  your  fault. 

LONNY 

I  behaved  to  her  with  every  infamy. 

THE  MAN  IN  ARMOUR 

Her  suffering  has  bred  kites  to  tear  your  in- 
famy. 
LONNY 

And  they  have  torn  me. 

THE  MAN  IN  ARMOUR 

Not  yet  to  the  inmost  soul. 

LONNY 

What  worse  suffering  can  they  inflict? 
[92] 


Melloney  Holtspur 

THE  MAN  IN  ARMOUR 

Your  sin  will  be  worked  out  on  those  you  love. 

LONNY 

I  love  her.     [Indicating  MELLONEY.] 

THE  MAN  IN  ARMOUR 

You  love  your  daughter. 

LONNY 

She  is  a  child. 

THE  MAN  IN  ARMOUR 

Sins  are  visited  upon  children. 
LONNY 

If  that  be  so,  do  not  boast  of  it. 

THE  MAN  IN  ARMOUR 

I  tell  you  the  law.  You  will  suffer  through 
her,  in  the  way  decreed. 

LONNY 

Two  things  will  annul  your  decree.  First, 
her  innocence. 

THE  MAN  IN  ARMOUR 

Innocence  is  the  sword  to  guilt.    What  is 
your  second  thing? 
LONNY 

My  virtue,  which  must  atone  for  much. 

THE  MAN  IN  ARMOUR 

What  was  this  virtue? 

LONNY 

This,  that  for  all  my  wickedness,  I  cared  for 
truth  and  beauty  and  colour;  three  things 
which  have  never  let  man  down.  I  was 
taunted  and  despised.  I  was  ragged  and 

[93] 


Melloney  Holtspur 

starved.    But  I  called  those   things  noble 
with  all  my  strength,  all  my  life  long. 

THE  MAN  IN  ARMOUR 

Of   those  things  you  made  a   bondage   for 
your  soul,  so  that  you  were  blind  to  reality. 

LONNY 

What  is  reality? 

THE  MAN  IN  ARMOUR 

The  godhead  of  man.    The  brotherhood  of 
man.     The  communion  of  spirits. 
LONNY 

Words. 

THE  MAN  IN  ARMOUR 

Pain  shall  make  you  see.     [He  moves  back  to 
his  place.]    Your  punishment  begins. 

LONNY 

I  will  think  my  own  thought  in  spite  of  every 
devil  and  every  angel. 

THE  MAN  IN  ARMOUR 

You  shall  weep  your  sin.     In  spite  of  every 
virtue  and  every  love. 
LONNY 

I  weep  my  sin  in  my  own  hell.     Nothing  that 
you  can  do  can  touch  me  further. 

MELLONEY 

Your  sin,  finding  you  out,  shall  touch  you 
further. 
LONNY 

My  shame,  for  what  I  did  to  you,  is  pain 
enough,  Melloney. 
[94] 


Melloney  Eoltspur 

MELLONEY 

It  is  not  pain  enough  for  me,  viper. 

LONNY 

Pour  me  poison,  then,  that  I  may  drink. 

[Enter  LENDA  from  Left  Back.  She 
comes  down  stage,  Right] 

MELLONEY 

This  is  the  cup  of  your  bitterness.  [She 
stares  at  LENDA,  then  moves  away,  Left  Back, 
silently.} 

LONNY 

Lenda.    Lenda. 

[She  is  unconscious  of  his  presence. 
She  picks  up  a  book  from  the  table, 
Right.  A  gong  is  beaten  off,  Left. 
LONNY  moves  away,  Right  Back. 
BUNNY  enters  Left  Back.  The  chil- 
dren enter  from  all  points] 

BUNNY 

Ah,  Lenda.    Now  come  along,  you  people. 

LENDA 

How  dark  it  is.     It  is  going  to  thunder. 

BUNNY 

It  is  going  to  pour. 

PETER 

"A  rain  in  May  makes  good  June  hay." 

SUSAN 

There!    Look  at  that!    Lightning! 
[95] 


Melloney  Holtspur 

JEMIMA 

[Counting.] 

One,  two,  three,  four.    It's  not  very  near. 
Five,  six,  seven. 

[There  comes  a  crash  of  thunder  with 

a  spotting  of  rain.] 

Curtain. 


[96] 


ACT  HI 


ACT  III 

The  same. 

[PETER  and  SUSAN  enter,  Right  Back.    They 
come  down  Front] 
PETER 

Now,  Susan.  This  is  what  I  want  to  examine. 
[Goes  to  MAN  IN  ARMOUR.]  I  believe  there's 
treasure  buried  inside  this  old  geezer-gee. 

SUSAN 

Oh,  Peter,  how  heavenly! 

PETER 

What  else  can  this  poem  in  the  book  mean? 

[Reads]     "Sir   Tirrold   Holtspur   to   all  his 

House: 

Holtspur,  if  thou  beest  ruinate,  still  trust 

In  my  right  arm  to  raise  thee  from  the  dust; 

More  than  the  half  I  tell  thee,  which,  if  't  fall 

As  'tis  most  like,  thy  wit  shall  madrigal." 

SUSAN 

It's  a  very  geezer-gee-ish  poem. 
PETER 

Of  course  it  is.  He  wanted  people  to  think 
it  tosh  because  it's  a  hint  where  the  treasure 
is  buried.  "Trust  in  my  right  arm."  The 
right  arm's  the  clue.  [Climbs  on  a  chair, 
Right]  I  can't  see  all  his  gauntlets,  he's 
gripping  his  horn  so  hard. 
[99] 


SUSAN 

Is  there  a  secret  spring? 

PETER 

I  haven't  spotted  one  yet,  but  live  and  learn. 
I  say:  some  stuff,  this  armour.  Jolly  useful 
kit  for  Rugger.  He  doesn't  seem  to  have  any 
give  anywhere. 

SUSAN 

Jab  him  hi  the  plexus.  [Climbing  up.]  Try 
that  knobby  thing. 

PETER 

[Trying] 
No.    Besides,  that  isn't  on  his  arm. 

SUSAN 

How  did  he  scratch  when  he  tickled? 
PETER 

I  expect  he  Keating'd  up,  so  as  not  to  have  to. 

Give  the  bolts  a  jab.    No.    They  don't  seem 

to  move  at  all. 
SUSAN 

Try  the  floppy  thing  on  his  elbow. 

PETER 

[Trying.] 

No.  I  expect  it  would  be  some  quite  small 
thing  like  a  nut. 

SUSAN 

Try  up  at  his  shoulder. 
PETER 

I  tried  all  his  shoulder  first  thing.  Hand  up 
that  tumbler  with  the  paraffin.  [Takes  and 
oils  armour.] 

[100] 


Melloney  Holts  pur 

SUSAN 

Peter,  the  place  will  stink  of  paraffin  for  weeks. 
What  are  you  doing? 
PETER 

It'll  soak  in  or  evaporate.  It'll  oil  up  his 
joints.  Then  we'll  come  back  presently  and 
have  a  go  with  a  screw-driver.  Then  he 
might  open. 

SUSAN 

Oh,  hooray! 
PETER 

It  won't  be  hooray,  I'm  afraid.     The   old 

geezer-gee's  a  wash-out. 

[Enter  MARIA,  Left,  on  tiptoe.] 
MARIA 

Oh,  Peter,  have  you  found  it?  • 
PETER 

No,  not  yet. 

MARIA 

I  expect  it's  been  found,  long  ago.  Bunny 
said  they'd  searched. 

PETER 

I'll  just  lie  down  and  squint  up.  I  say,  he's 
jolly  well  dripping  paraffin,  like  billio.  It's 
not  in  him. 

MARIA 

I  expect  it's  a  wash-out.     Come  on  out. 

SUSAN 

Just  let  me  have  a  go. 
[•oil 


Melloney  Holtspur 

MARIA 

I'm  afraid  it's  no  go.    Do  you  see  anything, 
Susan? 

SUSAN 

Only  pools  of  paraffin. 
MARIA 

Well,  come  along  out.    He's  a  dud. 
PETER 

I'm  afraid  so.     Where's  Jemima? 
MARIA 

Gone  to  the  Woman's  Institute. 
PETER 

She   would.    Well,    he's   a   dud.    Did    the 

papers  come? 

MARIA 

Yes. 

PETER 

Anything  about  the  Rushton  case? 
MARIA 

Oh,  yes,  Peter;  they've  found  the  body. 

SUSAN 

Oh,  hooray!    Where? 
PETER 

Was  it  murder? 

MARIA 

Yes.     She'd  been  flung  down  the  well.    And 
they  found  the  hammer  that  did  the  deed. 
There's  a  heavenly  picture  of  the  hammer. 
PETER 

Come  on;  let's  come  and  see. 
[102] 


Melloney  Holtspur 

SUSAN 

And  then  let's  go  out  and  go  on  with  our  cave 
in  the  shrubbery. 

MARIA 

Yes,  let's.    Come  on,  Peter. 

PETER.  All  right.    I've  bagged  some  wire  to  keep  up 

the  sides. 

SUSAN 

Come  on.    It  will  be  simply  heavenly. 

[MARIA   and   SUSAN   skip   of  Left 
Back.] 

Come  along,  Peter,  before  Jemima  comes  back. 
PETEB 

I'm  just  coming.  [When  they  are  gone,  he 
says.]  By  Jove,  it  might  not  be  his  arm.  It 
might  be  the  Holtspur  cock's  arm,  in  the  crest 
up  above.  A  jolly  good  idea.  I'll  give  it  a 
good  old  prod  with  the  poker.  [Does  so.] 
No.  Nothing  doing.  But  I'll  give  it  another 
prod.  [Does  so.]  That  sent  the  plaster 
down  inside  somewhere.  [Gives  a  third  prod.] 
Golly,  I  nearly  had  the  whole  thing  down. 
No  more. 

[He  puts  down  the  poker  and  exit 
Left.  As  he  goes  out,  the  panel  jog- 
gles slowly  down,  opens  the  hiding 
place  wide,  and  then  very  slowly  jog- 
gles up  and  shuts.  It  does  this  with  a 
rhythmical,  distinctive  noise.  [BUNNY 
enters  Right  Back.] 
[103] 


Melloney  Holtspur 

BUNNY 

No.    She  is  not  here,  Mother. 

[Enter  JULIA  Right  Back] 

JULIA 

Just  call  her,  will  you,  Bunny?  She  must  be 
with  the  children.  [She  goes  to  table,  Centre.] 

BUNNY 

[Calling  Left  Back.] 
Lenda! 
LENDA 

[Off} 

Yes. 

BUNNY 

Can  you  come  to  us  for  a  moment?  We  are 
in  the  hall. 

LENDA 

[Enters  Left  Back] 

Here  I  am.    Oh,  Lady  Mento.    I  hope  that 

your  tenant  is  better. 

[MELLONEY  enters  at  Left  Back  and 
remains  there  during  the  scene] 

JULIA 

Poor  Minnie  Trenchard  can  never  be  better 
in  this  world,  my  dear  child.  She  cannot  live 
through  another  day,  and  it  is  better  so.  I 
have  talked  to  her  and  she  is  easier  in  her 
mind.  I  would  like  now  to  speak  to  you. 

LENDA 

Certainly,  Lady  Mento.    Shall  it  be  here? 
[104] 


Melloney  Holtspur 

JULIA 

Yes.  I  have  had  a  very  terrible  day.  It  is 
about  your  father,  Lenda,  that  I  wish  to 
speak  to  you.  Bunny,  I  am  very  tired;  will 
you  bring  me  a  chair  here  to  the  table? 

[BUNNY  brings  chair.] 

Thank  you,  Bunny.  [She  sits.]  [To  LENDA.] 
Minnie  heard,  somewhow,  that  you  were  to 
be  here,  and  that  led  to  her  sending  for  me. 
It  is  strange.  She  had  not  meant  to  tell  me 
much;  but  in  the  thunder  this  afternoon  she 
heard  as  it  were  a  voice  commanding  her  to 
tell  everything.  So  she  has  spoken  out  her 
heart. 

LENDA 

Will  you  tell  me,  Lady  Mento,  who  this  Mrs. 
Trenchard  is,  or  was?  . 

JULIA 

She  is  the  widow  of  James  Trenchard.  She 
farms  her  late  husband's  small  farm  at  Knott 
Green  here.  She  was  Minnie  Bracknell, 
once  maid  to  old  Mrs.  Holyport  at  Nap  Hill. 

LENDA 

Thank  you. 

JULIA 

You  know  that  as  your  father  was  unlike 
other  men  in  intellect,  so  he  was  in  other  ways. 

LENDA 

Yes,  one  sees  that  from  his  face. 
[105] 


Melloney  Holtspur 

JULIA 

No  doubt.  Since  you  know  that,  you  may 
perhaps  be  prepared  for  the  confession  which 
was  made  to  me  to-day. 

LENDA 

I  hope  so,  Lady  Mento. 

JULIA 

I  trust  so.  Your  father  came  to  know  Mrs. 
Trenchard,  then  Minnie  Bracknell,  after  his 
return  from  Greece.  It  seems  that  they  lived 
together  at  Tatchester  for  some  months,  un- 
known to  anybody  here. 

LENDA 

If  they  cared  for  each  other,  Lady  Mento,  I 
am  glad  that  they  had  that  happiness. 

JULIA 

It  was  no  happiness,  Lenda.    Sin  cannot 
bring  happiness  in  this  world. 
LEND 

Forgetfulness  then. 

JULIA 

Forgetfulness  of  much  that  none  should  ever 
forget.  While  they  were  living  thus,  your 
father  told  his  companion  that  he  had  often 
been  in  this  House  and  had  searched  it  for 
secrets,  apparently  in  order  that  he  might 
turn  them  to  account. 

LENDA 

What  were  the  exact  words  used,  Lady 
Mento? 

[106] 


Melloney  Holtspur 


JULIA 

LENDA 
JULIA 


LENDA 

JULIA 

LENDA 

JULIA 

BUNNY 


That  was  the  exact  meaning. 

It  is  important  to  me,  Lady  Mento,  that  the 
exact  words  should  be  given,  so  that  I  may 
know  the  exact  charge  made. 

These  were  the  words  —  "He  told  me  that 
he  had  often  searched  Holtspur  House  for 
secrets  that  he  might  use."  I  will  not  be 
certain  whether  she  said  "he  might  use"  or 
"might  be  of  use."  Remember,  she  is  a  dying 
woman  and  spoke  with  difficulty. 

I  remember.  Did  she  say  that  he  had  found 
secrets? 

Yes.    He  had. 

And  used  them,  or  abused  them? 

My  child,  it  is  very  painful  to  me  to  have  to 
tell  you  that  he  abused  them  .  .  .  terribly 
...  in  a  terrible  way. 

Mother  darling,  shall  we  not  let  this  old  dead 
past  be,  and  forget  it  and  forgive  it?  All 
this  cannot  matter  to  any  living  soul  now; 
it  is  long  since  utterly  at  an  end.  Lenda  is 
our  guest  and  my  love. 
[107] 


Melloney  Holtspur 


LENDA 


JULIA 


BUNNY 


JULIA 


LENDA 


JUUA 


LENDA 


Bunny,  dear,  all  this  is  very,  very  interesting 
to  me.  Let  me  hear  it  to  the  end.  Will  you 
go  on,  Lady  Mento,  if  you  are  not  too  tired? 
In  what  way  did  my  father  abuse  his  knowl- 
edge? 

It  is  not  easy  for  me  to  tell  you. 
It  is  not  easy  for  Lenda  to  listen. 

No,  my  dear  boy,  it  is  not.  And  this  that  I 
have  to  tell  you  will  be  more  bitter  than  any- 
thing that  has  gone  before. 

Let  me  hear  it  then,  and  know  the  worst. 

It  seems  that  many  years  ago,  when  your 
father  was  painting  those  portraits,  he  dis- 
covered from  some  book,  evidently  the  Holt- 
spur  Book  here  on  the  table,  the  whereabouts 
of  a  secret  hiding-place  in  which  a  former 
Holtspur  had  hidden  family  jewels.  Your 
father  boasted  to  his  accom —  companion  that 
those  jewels  which  he  had  found  had  been 
"as  good  as  the  bank  to  him." 

Meaning  that  he  had  stolen  and  sold  them? 
[108] 


Melloney  Holtspur 

JTJLIA 

I  know  no  other  interpretation  that  can  be  put 
upon  such  words. 

LENDA 

Let  that  be  the  interpretation.  The  woman 
is  dying  and  speaking  the  truth. 

BUNNY 

But  is  that  so,  Mother?  She  is  at  the  point 
of  death,  and  speaking  from  memory  of  a  time 
long  past,  and,  as  you  said  just  now,  she  was 
in  some  hallucination,  thinking  that  she  heard 
voices. 

JULIA 

Unfortunately,  her  statement  seems  to  be 
borne  out  by  these  papers  which  she  gave  me. 
These  are  two  inventories  of  jewels  in  the 
handwriting  of  Sir  Jotham  Holtspur,  who 
wrote  this  book.  On  each  inventory  is  a 
note  in  your  father's  hand.  "Got  for  this 
lot  £127.10,  Buck  and  Littlewick."  On  the 
other,  "Fetched  only  a  hundred  guineas. 
Binfields."  Both  notes  dated  twenty-seven 
years  ago. 

LENDA 

[Comparing  the  script  with  the  book.]  Yes. 
Sir  Jotham  wrote  the  inventories  and  I  think 
my  father  wrote  the  notes. 

BUNNY 

But,  my  dear  Mother,  that  doesn't  prove  that 
the  jewels  existed,  or  that  they  were  found 
[109] 


JULIA 


LENDA 


JULIA 


LENDA 


BUNNY 


Melloney  Holtspur 

here  or  sold,  or  that  Mr.  Copshrews  sold  them, 
or  that  he  stole  them  if  he  did  sell  them.  If  he 
did  sell  them  at  all,  it  was  probably  as  Grand- 
father's agent.  He  was  always  buying  and 
selling  pictures  and  things  for  Grandfather, 
and  got  a  commission  for  doing  so,  and  jolly 
well  deserved  it.  The  commission  on  these 
two  sales,  if  they  were  sales,  would  have  been 
about  £24,  or  quite  "as  good  as  the  bank" 
to  an  artist  under  twenty-five. 

Your  defence  occurred  to  me,  Bunny;  but 
your  Grandfather  kept  exact  accounts  of  all 
such  commissions  in  these  private  journals. 
No  such  transactions  as  these  two  are  men- 
tioned in  these  volumes  here. 

Did  Mr.  Holtspur,  your  father,  ever  mention 
the  jewels? 

Never.  I  am  certain  that  he  never  knew  of 
their  existence. 

Let  us  call  this  Non  Proven  for  the  moment. 
I  will  thrash  it  all  out  with  the  buyers,  if  they 
can  be  traced.  Binfields,  you  said,  and  Buck 
and  Littlewick. 

Buck  and  Littlewick  are  art  dealers  hi  Ryder 
Street,  St.  James's, 
[no] 


Melloney  Eoltspur 

LENDA 

Good.  So  my  father  lived  in  sin,  and  may 
or  may  not  have  stolen  the  plate.  Was  any 
other  charge  brought  against  him? 

JULIA 

Yes. 

LENDA 

May  I  hear  it? 

JULIA 

Yes.  While  he  and  Mrs.  Trenchard  were 
living  thus,  they  became  short  of  money. 
Your  father  was  not  then  working  at  his  pro- 
fession. Bunny,  will  you  draw  the  curtain 
from  your  Aunt  Melloney's  portrait? 

[He  does  so.] 

That  is  my  dead  sister,  Melloney,  who  was 
at  that  time  living  here.  It  seems  that  she 
cherished  some  affection  for  your  father  and 
that  your  father  knew  this  .  .  . 

LENDA 

Yes,  Lady  Mento? 

JULIA 

And  presumed  upon  it. 
LENDA 

In  what  way  did  he  presume  upon  it? 

JULIA 

By  sending  his  companion  to  her  for  money  to 
relieve  their  want. 

LENDA 

Which  she  granted? 
[in] 


Melloney  Eoltspur 

JULIA 

Three  times,  to  the  extent  of  more  than  one 
hundred  and  eighty  pounds. 

LENDA 

And  what  happened  then? 

JULIA 

Your  father  fell  ill  and  he  and  Minnie  parted. 
Mr.  Boveney  found  your  father  and  cared  for 
him  until  he  died.  Minnie  came  home. 
Presently  young  James  Trenchard  married 
her,  knowing  nothing  of  all  this  till  long  after- 
wards, when  it  hastened  his  end,  poor  man. 

LENDA 

I  wish  that  Mrs.  Trenchard  had  sent  for  me, 

to  tell  me  all  this. 
JULIA 

She  sent  for  me,  Lenda,  because  she  felt  that 

a  wrong  had  been  done  to  this  house. 
LENDA 

By  my  father? 
JULIA 

I  do  not  say  by  your  father;  by  the  two  of 

them  together. 
LENDA 

And  I  am  afraid  that  you  feel  that  too,  Julia. 

I  feel  only  miserable. 

It  is  miserable  that  the  child  of  such  a  father 
should  enter  this  house  ...  on  other  terms. 
[112] 


Melloney  Eoltspur 

JULIA 

My  dear,  whatever  my  feelings  may  be,  I  have 
laid  the  case  before  you  fairly,  without  preju- 
dice, without  passing  judgment. 

LENDA 

Why  did  you  lay  it  before  me? 

JULIA 

It  was  the  dying  woman's  request  that  you 
should  know. 

LENDA 

Did  the  voice  bid  her? 
JULIA 

So  she  said,  and  believed.  And  it  is  better 
that  you  should  know.  And  surely  better 
that  you  should  know  that  I  know. 

LENDA 

You  are  not  wholly  displeased,  Lady  Mento, 
that  these  revelations  should  come,  at  this 
time? 

JULIA 

There  were  objections  to  your  engagement  to 
my  son  before  these  revelations  were  made  to 
me. 

BUNNY 

None  that  will  have  any  weight  with  me, 
Mother. 

JULIA. 

Yes,  Bunny,  objections  that  must  have  weight 
with   you.    We    are   now   poor,    and   your 
father's  firm  is  involved;    you  must  marry 
[113] 


Melloney  Holtspur 

wealth,  or  work  to  restore  it.  You  have 
talents,  and  I  mean  you  to  have  a  career, 
apart  from  this  trivial  painting  and  philander- 
ing. My  son's  honour  is  pledged  to  this  house. 
LENDA 

And  my  honour  is  pledged  to  him. 

JULIA 

That  being  so,  it  is  for  him  to  be  scrupulous 
towards  you.  He  has  no  means  and  no  pro- 
fession, and  obligations  elsewhere. 

BUNNY 

Mother,  that  is  true  of  nine  out  of  ten  young 
men.  Every  man  is  a  waster  till  he  marries. 
I  shall  work  for  Lenda. 

JULIA 

At  what? 

BUNNY 

I  shall  go  into  the  firm. 
JULIA 

That,  my  son,  I  think  you  will  not  be  able  to 

do  if  you  marry  Miss  Copshrews. 
LENDA 

Why  not,  Lady  Mento? 
JULIA 

It  would  not  seem  to  me  to  be  fitting. 

LENDA 

Lady  Mento,  I  am  poor,  by  worldly  standards, 
but  I  am  no  beggar  and  I  am  not  a  fool.  I 
count  myself  a  fitting  match  for  any  man  in 
this  kingdom. 


Melloney  Holtspur 

JULIA 

I  do  not  say  that  you  are  not;   far  from  it. 

But  I  heard  even  now  something  more  about 

your  father  which  makes  you  no  match  for 

my  son. 
LENDA 

And  this  something  you  have  kept  as  a  trump 

card. 
JULIA 

I  dearly  hoped,  Lenda,  not  to  be  forced  to 

repeat  it. 

LENDA 

You  have  few  sins  left  to  repeat,  Lady  Mento. 
What  is  the  bonne  bouche?  I  hope  a  good  one. 
His  vices  are  not  grand  hitherto.  Did  he 
murder? 

JULIA 

Not  with  a  knife  or  poison,  but  by  subtler 
wickedness.  I  know  now  that  in  the  eyes  of 
God  he  was  the  murderer  of  my  sister  Mel- 
loney, whose  love  he  won  and  whose  heart  he 
broke  wantonly  and  wilfully,  a  few  months 
after  his  marriage  to  your  mother.  Now  I 
understand  my  poor  sister's  wretchedness 
and  death.  Knowing  this,  it  is  impossible  for 
me  to  receive  you  as  my  daughter. 

LENDA 

Lady  Mento,  I  am  very  proud  of  my  father. 
He  was  not  a  normal  man;  I  know  that.    He 
was  weak,  he  was  wicked;    very  wicked,  if 
[115] 


Melloney  Holtspur 

you  like.  I  should  not  wonder.  From  the 
time  he  was  born  he  had  no  help,  no  guidance; 
nothing  was  done  for  him,  nothing  was 
smoothed  for  him.  He  fought  and  suffered 
from  boyhood  on.  In  spite  of  all  that,  he 
was  one  of  the  best  painters  of  his  time.  I 
say  that  that  eminence  points  to  greatness  of 
soul,  whatever  sins  he  did.  And  I'd  rather 
be  his  daughter  than  a  crowned  queen. 
Do  not  speak  to  me  now,  Bunny;  do  not 
touch  me.  I  have  been  here  too  long.  My 
place  is  with  that  poor  woman,  who  is  the  last 
soul  on  earth  who  loved  my  father.  If  they 
will  let  me,  I  will  be  by  her  till  she  die. 
[She  goes  off,  Right] 

JULIA 

So,  my  son,  we  come  to  the  parting  of  the 
ways. 

BUNNY 

Yes,  Mother. 
JULIA 

Will  you  too  go  to  Mrs.  Trenchard's,  to  this 
cast  mistress  of  a  thief? 

BUNNY 

Don't  hit  below  the  belt,  Mother.    I  haven't 
gone,  for  your  sake. 
JULIA 

Thank  you,  Bunny. 

BUNNY 

Thank  me?    For  failing  my  love? 
[116] 


Melloney  Holtspur 

JTJLIA 

For  not  breaking  your  Mother's  heart,  Bunny. 

BUNNY 

The  past  only  exists  as  somebody's  prejudice. 
JULIA 

That  is  so,  my  son.  Bunny,  my  dear,  what 
will  you  do,  my  darling? 

BUNNY 

Mother,  I  think  you'd  better  not  talk  to  me 
for  the  moment,  any  more. 
JULIA 

Very  well,  Bunny.  [She  comes  towards  him.] 
My  dear  boy!  My  dear  boy!  [She  kneels 
suddenly  and  kisses  his  hand.]  You  don't 
know  how  I  love  you. 

BUNNY 

Mother,  if  I  did  not  know,  do  you  think  I 
would  have  kept  silence,  as  I  have?  Come. 
We  will  not  talk  of  this.  You  must  rest. 

JULIA 

Rest?    While  a  murderer's  daughter  takes 

my  son. 
BUNNY 

She  is  not  that.    Do  not  you  call  her  so. 
JULIA 

He  killed  my  sister,  after  robbing  her.     Can 

you  marry  her,  knowing  that? 

BUNNY 

Marry  her?  Surely  you  see  that  Lenda  will 
never  marry  me  after  this. 


JULIA 

BUNNY 
JULIA 

BUNNY 

JULIA 

BUNNY 

JULIA 


BUNNY 

JULIA 
BUNNY 


Women  are  not  so  sensitive  where  their  love's 
concerned. 

Not  sensitive?    To  outrage? 

Bunny,  my  son,  this  is  the  only  shadow  that 
has  ever  come  between  us. 

This  is  more  than  a  shadow,  Mother.  Why 
did  you  let  her  come  here? 

So  that  I  might  watch  her  with  you. 
But  why  teU  her  all  this? 

In  justice  to  my  dead  sister,  whom  I  feel  to- 
night like  a  living  soul,  outraged  by  Miss 
Copshrews'  presence  here.  Then  from  my 
love  for  you,  that  would  screen  you  from  the 
taint  of  that  leper. 

That  leper,  as  you  call  him,  kindled  the  souls 
of  thousands  by  the  purity  of  his  thought. 

And  blasted  all  who  touched  him. 

Perhaps,  Mother,  that  is  what  great  motives 
do.     They  blast  people.    Your  great  motives 
have  blasted  her  to  the  heart  and  me,  too. 
[n8] 


Melloney  Holtspur 


JULIA 


BUNNY 


JULIA 


BUNNY 


JULIA 


MELLONEY 


Bunny.    Bunny.    That  is  not  true,  my  boy. 

It  is  true.  You  have  parted  us.  She  will 
leave  this  house  to-night.  Well,  I  shall  leave 
it  to-morrow. 

Oh,  Bunny,  where  will  you  go? 

That  cannot  matter,  I  should  think. 

[He  goes  out  Back  Right.  JULIA 
stands  like  one  stunned,  then  comes 
down  stage  blindly.] 

When  we  lay  them  in  the  cradle  for  the  first 
time,  we  know  that  some  day  this  will 
happen. 

[She  goes  out  Front  Left.  MELLONEY 
comes  down  from  Left  Back.] 

0  blessed  heaven,   it  is   sweet   to   see  her 
thwarted.     She  has  it  to  the  heart  now.     She 
will  not  glory  again  in  her  father.     If  I  might 
do  one  thing  more  to  them !    If  I  might  wreck 
these  paintings,  which  make  his  fame!    Then 

1  might  rest,  then  I  might  rest.     [She  moves 
off  to  the  Centre,  down  stage.]    Here  is  this 
little  child.     She  might  help  me. 

[Enter  SUSAN,  Right  Back.] 
Susan,  my  little  one!     [She  goes  Left,  by  fire. 
[119] 


Melloney  Holtspur 


SUSAN 
MELLONEY 

SUSAN 
MELLONEY 

SUSAN 
MELLONEY 

SUSAN 

MELLONEY 

SUSAN 
MELLONEY 

SUSAN 
MELLONEY 


Ah!    It  is  the  lovely  lady.    Yes? 

Come  to  me  by  the  fire  here,  to  watch  the 
sparks.  [SUSAN  goes.]  You  love  watching 
the  sparks,  don't  you? 

Yes.    I  love  it  awfully  much. 

Don't  you  love  them  when  they  cling  to  the 
chimney? 

Yes,  when  they  breathe  on  the  soot. 

What  do  you  mean  by  "breathe  on  the  soot"? 

There.  When  they  glow  out  and  then  glow 
in.  It's  like  a  snake,  breathing. 

Or  like  armies  of  little  glittering  men. 
Or  little  butterflies  flying  away  home. 

They  aren't  green  enough  for  glow-worms. 
Do  you  see  cities  in  the  coals? 

Cities  all  made  of  white  gold. 

What  a  pity  that  we  have  not  some  salt  to 
make  lovely  blue  flame ! 
[120] 


Melloney  Holtspur 

SUSAN 

Oh,  I  love  blue  flame! 

MELLONEY 

Yes.  Isn't  it  beautiful?  But  other  things, 
besides  salt,  will  make  coloured  flames.  Shall 
we  make  some? 

SUSAN 

Oh,  do  let's!    What  can  we  use? 

MELLONEY 

It's  such  a  long  way  to  the  kitchen  for  salt, 
but  won't  you  go  to  fetch  a  piece? 

SUSAN 

Couldn't  we  make  some  with  something  here? 

MELLONEY 

The  cover  of  that  magazine,  perhaps. 

SUSAN 

No,  that's  Jemima's.  Besides,  the  thick 
paper  spoils  the  fire  so. 

MELLONEY 

I  know  what  we  could  use. 

SUSAN 

What? 

MELLONEY 

Will  you  unhook  that  picture  and  bring  it 
here?    [Points  Right] 

SUSAN 

[Unhooking    LONNY'S    portrait    and 
bringing  it]    Here  it  is. 

MELLONEY 

That  is  the  very  thing. 

[121] 


Melloney  Holtspur 


SUSAN 
MELLONEY 

SUSAN 

MELLONEY 

SUSAN 

MELLONEY 

SUSAN 


Do  you  mean  the  frame? 

No,  the  whole  thing.  It's  only  an  ugly  old 
thing,  and  quite  time  we  had  a  new  one.  It 
will  make  marvellous  flames. 

All  blue  and  green,  like  salt  does? 
Yes,  and  perhaps  scarlet  too. 
Will  it  really? 
Yes,  indeed. 

I  would  love  to  see  scarlet  fire.  Would  it  be 
like  Fifth-of-November? 

Yes,  like  coloured  flares. 
Oh,  how  lovely! 

Well,  you  put  it  into  the  fire  and  then  you  will 
see. 

Won't  the  glass  break  and  hurt  me? 

No;  it  will  crack;  it  won't  fly  out.  It  can- 
not hurt  you.  You  see  that  place  between 
the  two  logs?  Put  the  picture  into  that. 
Shall  I  give  you  the  word?  One,  two,  three? 
[122] 


Melloney  Holtspur 


SUSAN 

MELLONEY 

SUSAN 
MELLONEY 

SUSAN 

MELLONEY 

SUSAN 

MELLONEY 
SUSAN 

MELLONEY 

SUSAN 


One,  to  make  ready, 
Two,  to  make  steady, 
And  three,  away? 

Yes.  And  then,  at  "three"  the  lovely  scarlet 
flames  will  climb  all  over  the  logs. 

What  would  make  it  go  like  that? 

There  are  chemicals  in  the  paint.  Now,  one 
to  make  ready.  What  are  you  waiting  for? 

No.  I'm  not  going  to  burn  it,  if  .  there's 
chemicals  in  it. 

Why  not,  dear? 

Peter  put  some  chemicals  in  the  fire  once  He 
set  the  house  on  fire. 

But  these  are  not  like  those. 

They  might  be.  You  can't  ever  tell,  with 
chemicals. 

I  can  tell,  my  darling. 

Father  said,  "No  one  can  tell."  He  said, 
"We  might  have  burned  ourselves  to  little 
white  bones." 

[123] 


Melloney  Holtspur 


MELLONEY 

SUSAN 

MELLONEY 


SUSAN 
MELLONEY 


SUSAN 

MELLONEY 
SUSAN 


I  will  not  let  you  come  to  any  harm. 
No.    You  put  it  on  the  fire. 

Ah,  child,  would  that  I  could!  There  was  a 
little  boy  here  once  who  burned  some  pictures 
for  me,  in  the  other  room.  They  were  just 
like  these  pictures.  They  burned  all  up. 
They  were  not  dangerous. 

And  were  the  flames  lovely? 

Lovely.  The  loveliest  flames  I  ever  saw. 
The  loveliest  that  ever  were  on  this  earth. 
But  nothing  to  what  the  flames  of  these 
would  be.  You're  not  going  to  be  outdone 
by  a  little  boy,  are  you?  I  thought  you  were 
braver  than  that.  Come,  my  darling,  we'll 
burn  the  two  pictures  together.  [She  moves 
to  her  own  portrait.] 

No,  no,  no !  You  shall  not  burn  my  lovely  lady. 
That's  "wickedness,  awful  wickedness.  We 
might  both  be  smitten  dead,  for  burning  you. 


Dead 


smitten  dead 


Why? 


Because  it's  a  holy  picture.     You  are  an  angel, 
Peter  says.    You  are  an  angel,  aren't  you? 
[124] 


Melloney  Holtspur 


MELLONEY 


SUSAN 


MELLONEY 


SUSAN 
MELLONEY 

SUSAN 
MELLONEY 

SUSAN 

MELLONEY 

SUSAN 


No,  my  beloved  one,  I  am  very,  very  far  from 
being  that. 

Then  why  did  you  come  to  me  when  I  was  ill- 
in-bed? 

Because  your  father  wanted  to  marry  me 
once,  Susan.  That  couldn't  have  been,  of 
course.  But  you  might  have  been  my  darling 
little  daughter  if  it  had  been.  I  shall  always 
be  tender  to  you  because  of  that. 

Aren't  you  tender  to  Peter  and  the  others? 

They  cannot  see  me,  as  you  can.  They  have 
not  the  power. 

But  how  can  you  go  to  the  shiny  place  if  you 
aren't  an  angel? 

I  do  not  go  to  any  shiny  place,  Susan,  and  the 
crowing  of  the  cock  is  terrible  to  me.  And 
I  live  here. 

Yes,  I  know.  But  why  don't  I  always  see  you? 
I  cannot  always  come,  except  at  midnight. 

Because  that's  treasure  time. 
[125] 


Melloney  Eoltspur 


MELLONEY 

SUSAN 

MELLONEY 

SUSAN 

MELLONEY 

SUSAN 


MELLONEY 

SUSAN 
MELLONEY 


There  is  no  treasure  here,  my  darling  Susan; 
only  old  sorrow  and  old  sin  and  old  despair. 

Oh,  lovely  lady,  don't  cry!  I'll  give  you  a 
whole  kiss  if  you  don't  cry.  I'll  give  you  a 
kiss  and  a  hug,  and  my  Teddy  bear  Ed-a-ward. 

I'm  not  crying,  darling. 

You're  the  beautifullest  lady.  I  want  to  say 
my  hymn  to  you. 

Ah,  little  one !  I  am  cast  out  from  where  they 
say  hymns.  But  would  you  do  something 
for  me? 

Oh,  you  know,  you  know  I  would!  Any- 
thing in  the  wide  world. 

[Enter,  very  quietly,  KEZIA,  at  Left 

Back] 

Will  you  throw  crumbs  on  my  window-ledge, 
so  that  I  may  hear  the  little  feet  of  the  birds? 

Is  that  all? 

No.    If  you  could  bring  me  snow-on-the- 
mountains,  and  forget-me-not,  and  dappled 
wallflowers,  I  would  bless  those  holy  flowers. 
[126] 


Melloney  Holtspur 


SUSAN 


MELLONEY 


KEZIA 


SUSAN 


KEZIA 


SUSAN 


KEZIA 


I  will,  I  will;  and  Peter  will. 

And  never  think  of  me  again  as  an  angel, 
Susan.  I  am  only  Melloney  Holtspur,  who 
cannot  rest,  who  cannot  rest.  [She  begins  to 
pass  up  Back  Right.} 

Miss  Melloney!  Miss  Melloney!  Oh,  my 
white  flower,  Miss  Melloney!  [MELLONEY 
seems  to  try  to  answer.  It  darkens.]  Won't 
you  speak  to  me?  Say  one  little  word. 
[She  seems  to  try  to  speak.  It  darkens.]  I'm 
old  Kezia,  my  darling.  [MELLONEY  vanishes.] 
Oh,  my  Miss  Melloney,  come  back  out  of 
the  dead!  Come  back! 

She  can't  always  come,  except  at  midnight. 

That  was  my  Miss  Melloney,  darling,  that 
you  were  talking  to. 

Yes.    She  cannot  rest. 

"Let  mine  eyes  run  down  with  tears  then, 
for  the  virgin  daughter  of  my  people  is 
broken." 

Curtain 
[127] 


ACT  IV 


MELLONEY 


LENDA 


MELLONEY 


ACT  IV 

The  same. 

[On  the  table  is  a  bowl  of  forget-me-not,  snow- 
on-the-mountains,  and  dappled  wallflowers. 
Midnight:  moonlight  and  one  light  Right. 
MELLONEY  enters  Left  Front  and  goes  up  Back 
Left.] 

Nothing  but  this  hate  like  a  living  thing.  If 
a  bird  would  sing  to  us.  Or  if  we  could  pick 
a  flower.  Or  if  we  could  begin  again,  like  the 
spring.  But  she  is  coming. 

[Enter    LENDA,    Right    Back.    She 
comes  on  and  says.] 

Bunny.  Bunny.  So  he  is  not  here  waiting 
for  me.  Very  well.  I  do  not  stay  in  this 
house.  I  will  leave  word  and  go.  [She  sits 
at  table  and  begins  to  write.] 

I  looked  like  that,  felt  like  that,  wrote  like 
that.    The  world  is  gone  from  below  your 
feet.    All  the  trust  in  your  soul  is  gone  to  hell- 
fire.    Now,  you  part  of  him,  you  have  it. 
[131] 


Melloney  Holtspur 

LENDA 

There,  there  is  what  I  think  of  them.  [She 
slaps  down  the  letter  on  the  table,  rises  and  comes 
down]  I  do  not  care.  I  do  not  care.  I  be- 
long with  the  artists,  not  with  these,  these 
properties.  [She  goes  swiftly  up  and  of  Left 
Back.} 

MELLONEY 

Plaisir  d1  amour  ne  dure  qu'un  moment, 

Chagrin  d'amour  dure  .  .  . 

[As  she  sings,  LONNY  silently  enters, 
goes  down  Right,  and  kneels  in  suppli- 
cation facing  Back] 

THE  MAN  IN  ARMOUR 

What  does  this  guilty  one  want? 

LONNY 

Mercy. 

THE  MAN  IN  ARMOUR 

Had  you  mercy? 

LONNY 

No. 

THE  MAN  IN  ARMOUR 

You  are  answered. 

LONNY 

I  want  mercy  for  my  daughter.  She  should 
not  bear  my  sin. 

THE  MAN  IN  ARMOUR 

You  sowed.    You  reap. 

LONNY 

Then  I  am  in  the  lowest  pit  of  hell. 


Melloney  Holtspur 

THE  MAN  IN  ARMOUR 

You  are  in  the  pit  you  digged. 

LONNY 

No,  but  I  did  the  crime.  My  daughter  is 
innocent.  .  .  .  Innocent. 

THE  MAN  IN  ARMOUR 

So  was  your  victim. 

LONNY 

I  know  it.  Let  me  burn  for  it.  Only  spare 
that  lovely  little  soul. 

THE  MAN  IN  ARMOUR 

We  cannot. 

LONNY 

You  can,  you  can. 

THE  MAN  IN  ARMOUR 

We  are  powerless.  You  set  the  wheel  of  the 
law  moving.  It  has  to  go  on,  to  fulfilment. 

LONNY 

But  she  may  be  crushed  utterly  by  it. 

THE  MAN  IN  ARMOUR 

You  will  see  your  results. 

LONNY 

Then  I  have  blasted  her  life. 

THE  MAN  LN  ARMOUR 

Results  come  home. 

LONNY 

Then  it  is  all  doggery  and  devilry  and  there 
is  no  God  and  no  mercy.  And  we  are  all 
mad  dogs,  mad  as  hell,  biting.  I  could  make 
a  better  world. 

[133] 


Melloney  Holtspur 

THE  MAN  IN  ARMOUR 

Your  power  to  make  is  dead. 

LONNY 

Then  I  will  unmake,  till  men  blow  out  life 
like  a  candle  and  there  are  no  men  born  to 
suffer. 

THE  MAN  IN  ARMOUR 

Your  power  to  unmake  is  dead. 

LONNY 

Then  I  will  unsettle.  I  will  be  a  dream  and 
a  madness  in  men's  minds  until  they  thwart 
this  purpose. 

THE  MAN  IN  ARMOUR 

Your  power  to  unsettle  is  dead.  All  your 
powers,  save  one,  are  dead. 

LONNY 

[Quailing] 

What  is  that  one? 

THE  MAN  IN  ARMOUR 

The  power  to  suffer.  You  are  in  hell.  [A 
pause.] 

LONNY 

I  am  not  speaking  from  self,  or  vanity.  I 
would  not  hide  from  her  what  I  am.  Let  her 
know  that  I  was  the  wickedest  thing.  Let 
her  despise  me.  But  let  her  not  suffer  be- 
cause of  me,  because  I  cannot  bear  it,  do  you 
hear,  I  cannot  bear  it.  I  had  rather  be  blasted 
out;  annihilated. 
[i34] 


Melloney  Holtspur 

THE  MAN  IN  ARMOUB 

In  hell,  the  worm  is  not  annihilated;  the  fire 
is  not  blasted  out. 
LONNY 

But  the  agony  is,  that  you  will  not  under- 
stand. 

THE  MAN  IN  ARMOUR 

Understanding  is  forgiveness.  You  are  not 
forgiven. 

LONNY 

No,  but  I  want  to  save  her;  she  is  being 
punished  for  my  sin  and  it  is  hell,  hell,  hell. 

THE  MAN  IN  ARMOUR 

This  is  hell. 

LONNY 

Then  curses  on  this  Life  which  can  make  such 
evil.  May  all  this  progress  from  the  germ  to 
man  wither  on  its  mud.  May  the  moon 
blind  it,  and  the  sun  blast  it  and  some  great 
blind  star  come  down  and  crush  it,  crush  it 
to  pulp,  to  dust,  to  nothing.  And  let  all  the 
suns  go  out  and  the  moons  fall  into  them, 
and  the  space  be  empty,  empty,  with  all  of 
you  gods  and  ghosts  and  fever  and  folly  like 
the  falling  of  the  shadow  of  nothing.  [He 
seems  to  realize  h  s  hopelessness,  and  changes 
his  tone.  Feebly]  No!  No!  I  am  talking 
folly  because  I  am  in  such  pain.  Listen.  It 
was  said  that  there  would  be  pity.  If  I 
might  live  again,  suffering  what  you  please, 


Melloney  Holtspur 

would  not  that  suffice?  Would  that  not  save 
her?  Tell  me  what  would  save  her. 

THE  MAN  IN  ARMOUR 

Atonement. 

LONNY 

Let  me  atone  then.  If  one  life  of  torment  be 
not  enough,  let  me  have  twenty  lives.  Let 
me  be  an  artist  or  a  woman  for  twenty  lives, 
suffering  day  and  night.  Oh,  what  more 
could  one  do? 

THE  MAN  IN  ARMOUR 

Atonement.  [He  begins  to  go  lack  into  his 
place] 

LONNY 

Then  let  me  suffer  to  the  limit  to  spare  her. 
Kind  spirits,  for  God's  sake  let  me  spare  her. 
She's  not  like  me,  strong  to  suffer;  she's  a 
little  child.  I  know  what  I  could  do.  Let 
my  soul  suffer  in  the  bodies  of  animals  forever 
and  forever  and  forever;  animals  that  are 
in  the  power  of  men;  animals  that  men  beat, 
or  catch  in  traps,  or  love  and  forsake.  [No 
answer.]  Or  let  me  be  a  bird  kept  in  a  cage. 
And  see  the  sky  through  the  bars.  [No 
answer.]  Then  for  the  love  and  pity  of  the 
blessed  God  in  heaven,  tell  me,  tell  me,  set 
me  my  task  of  suffering! 

THE  MAN  IN  ARMOUR 

Atonement. 

[136] 


MELLONEY 


LONNY 


MELLONEY 


LONNY 


MELLONEY 


LONNY 


Melloney  Holtspur 

[Silence.  The  MAN  IN  ARMOUR  is 
in  his  place,  LONNY  is  crouched  on 
the  floor  to  Right  of  table.  MELLO- 
NEY enters  down  stage  Left.] 

Would  you  have  spared  me,  Lonny,  had  you 
known? 

Yes. 

Some  other  woman  would  have  served? 
No. 

It  is  a  pity  that  you  did  not  spare  me,  is  it  not? 
And  you  might  so  easily  Jiave  spared  me. 
You  had  your  wife  and  daughter  to  turn  to. 
And  if  you  had  spared  me,  none  of  all  this 
would  have  happened.  You  might  have 
seen  your  child  so  happy.  Now  you  will  see 
her  with  a  broken  heart.  Oh,  it  is  a  joy  to 
me  to  see  you  suffer!  I  have  longed  for  it 
for  all  these  years.  You  will  see  her  suffer 
and  I  shall  watch  you.  Oh,  you  devil!  I 
am  glad  of  this  at  last.  And  you  will  cry 
out  to  her;  but  she  will  not  hear. 

No,  she  will  never  hear  how  I  repent. 
[i37] 


MELLONEY 


LONNY 


LENDA 


MINNIE 


Melloney  Holtspur 

You  repent!  You  are  sick  that  you  should 
suffer,  not  for  the  sufferings  you  have  caused. 
Here  is  your  daughter,  cut  even  to  the  heart 
by  you.  Now  you  will  know  yourself. 

Melloney,  by  the  old  love  between  us,  have 
mercy  on  her.  [MELLONEY  laughs} 

[LENDA  enters  Left  Back,  carrying  a 
small  bag.    She  goes  to  the  table} 

Twelve  hours  ago.  Just  twelve  hours.  And 
now  good-bye.  I  shall  not  see  this  place 
again.  [She  unhooks  her  father's  portrait  Right 
and  brings  it  to  table.}  Good-bye,  Father. 
Father,  do  not  think  I  care  for  what  they  say. 
People  loved  you.  And  I  love  and  honour 
you.  And  I  think  you  know  that.  I  think 
the  dead  are  here.  Father,  if  you  are  here  in 
death,  speak  to  me.  [No  answer.]  There  is 
some  spiritual  presence  here.  Is  it  you, 
Father?  [No  answer.]  Spirit,  Spirit,  I  charge 
you  to  speak  to  me. 

[Enter  the  ghost  of  MINNIE  BRACK- 
NELL,  Right  Back.] 
Is  there  a  Spirit? 

Yes.    I  am  Minnie  Bracknell,  who  died  hi 
your  arms  an  hour  ago. 
[138] 


Melloney  Holtspur 

LENDA 

Is  it  well  with  you? 

MINNIE 

Yes. 

LENDA 

My  father  loved  you.    That  was  why  I  came 
to  you. 

MINNIE 

I  knew  that,  when  you  kissed  me.    But  your 
father  did  not  love  me.    I  loved  him.    He 
loved  one  who  deserved  more  happiness  than 
she  had. 
LENDA 

Miss  Melloney  Holtspur? 

MINNIE 

[Indicating  MELLONEY,  who  advances^  She. 
[To  MELLONEY.]  You  were  the  one  her 
father  loved.  I  was  only  one  who  was  thank- 
ful for  crumbs  that  fell  from  her  master's 
table.  I  am  happy  that  I  loved  him.  You 
are  sad.  You  thought  him  a  mad  child.  I 
only  loved  him,  even  his  madness  and  his 
childishness.  You  could  have  given  him 
everything,  and  gave  him  nothing.  I  had 
nothing  to  give  but  my  good  name.  Yet  you 
loved  him  better  than  I. 
If  you  had  ventured  to  lift  one  finger,  he  would 
have  been  yours.  You  did  not.  So  he  made 
his  mad  marriage  and  then  his  mad  breaking 
from  it.  Bad  as  I  was,  I  gave  him  something. 


LENDA 


MYRTLE 


LENDA 


MYRTLE 


Melloney  Holtspur 

But  you  were  his  love.  Your  soul  was  set 
for  his  soul  from  of  old,  only  the  wheels  of 
his  life  were  choked. 

Oh,  I  am  happy,  happy,  happy,  to  be  set  free. 
[Her  face  becomes  radiant  and  she  passes  up 
the  stage,  Right] 

Oh,  stay,  stay;  tell  me  of  my  father, 

[MINNIE  goes  out  Right] 
No,  she  is  gone.  She  is  gone.  [Runs  to 
MELLONEY.]  What  are  you,  there?  For 
there  is  someone  there?  Are  you  she  whom 
my  father  loved?  [No  answer.  LENDA 
leaves  table  and  advances  towards  MELLONEY.] 
No.  There  is  nothing,  nothing.  Yet  there 
was  something. 

[The  ghost  of  MYRTLE  WEST  appears 

from  Left  Back] 

Who  are  you?  Who  are  you,  with  the  bright 
face? 

One  who  gave  all  for  love. 
Myrtle?    Myrtle  West? 

I  cannot  speak;  only  thank  you.  Your 
father  brought  him  to  me.  Your  father  was 
sent  from  God  to  change  folk.  A  ship  at  sea 
at  night  comes  in  dark  water.  Then  in- 
stantly the  dolphins  flash  and  it  is  all  fire 
[140] 


Melloney  Holtspur 

instead  of  dark.  So  it  was  with  your  father. 
Beautiful  fire. 

[She  goes  out  in  ecstasy,  Front  Left. 
Enter  KEZIA,  Left  Back] 
KEZIA 

Miss  Melloney. 

LENDA 

I  am  not  your  Miss  Melloney. 
KEZIA 

Oh,  Miss  Copshrews. 

LENDA 

What  brings  you  here  at  this  time? 
KEZIA 

Hope  to  see  one  I  loved. 

LENDA 

You  find  one  you  hate.  In  the  morning,  you 
will  please  give  this  letter  to  Lady  Mento. 
I  am  going. 

KEZIA 

Miss  Copshrews,  I  am  an  old  woman  who  will 

not  live  to  the  lime-blossom.  I  have  been 
called  to  my  death  this  night.  I  have  been  a 
great  sinner  to  you  and  yours.  I  thwarted 
your  father  here.  I  tried  to  turn  Miss 
Melloney  against  him.  I  was  bitter  to  you. 
I  see  now  that  he  was  not  what  I  thought, 
but  one  of  the  broken  panes  that  God's  light 
shines  through.  And  you  are  the  fine  spirit 
of  a  girl  that,  God  forgive  me,  I  tried  to 
humble.  Miss  Copshrews,  I  ask  you  to 
pardon  me.  [She  kneels  to  LENDA.] 
[141] 


Melloney  Holtspur 

LENDA 

[Raising  her]  I  have  been  by  a  death  this 
night.  Our  hates  seem  mean  beside  that. 
Let  us  be  friends,  Miss  Spinfield. 

KEZIA 

Would  I  could  ask  pardon  of  your  father. 

LENDA 

Artists  do  not  hate  persons  but  states  of  mind. 
He  has  forgiven. 

LONNY 

I  have  forgiven.     Forgive  me. 

LENDA 

Father!    Father!    That  is  my  father. 
KEZIA 

I  was  a  bitter  sinner  to  you. 
LONNY 

And  I  to  you.    That  is  over,  then. 

LENDA 

Father.    I  am  your  daughter.    I  am  Lenda. 
Speak  to  me.    Will  you  not  speak  to  me? 
LONNY 

I  am  condemned. 

LENDA 

Father  .  .  .  where  is  your  glory? 
LONNY 

Where  I  trod  it. 

LENDA 

Father.     None  of  me  condemns  you;    only 
loves  and  understands.     Can  my  love  touch 
you,  or  my  prayer  help  you? 
[142! 


Melloney  Holtspur 

THE  MAN  IN  ARMOUR 

He  is  condemned. 

LENDA 

Till  when? 

THE  MAN  IN  ARMOUR 

Until  atonement. 

LENDA 

How  can  one  atone?  Oh,  speak,  speak.  He 
longs  to  speak,  and  cannot. 

KEZIA 

He  longs:  he  longs  for  something.  [LONNY 
stretches  towards  the  table.]  You  long  for  the 
flowers,  poor  human  soul.  [She  takes  flowers 
and  brings  them  down  Right  to  him.  LONNY 
bursts  into  tears.} 

LENDA 

My  father;  my  father.  I  will  share  your 
punishment.  I  will  bear  it  with  you.  Only 
speak  to  me.  Make  me  be  near  you. 

[There  comes  the  first  crowing  of  the 
cocks  and  LONNY  dims  away, 
struggling  to  answer.  Enter  BUNNY, 
Right  Back] 

BUNNY 

Lenda.  Lenda,  my  God,  Lenda,  I've  been 
waiting  all  night  outside  the  Trenchards'  for 
you.  How  have  I  missed  you? 

LENDA 

By  Fate,  I  suppose.    I  came  back  by  the  lane. 
[143] 


Melloney  Holtspur 

BUNNY 

My  God,  you've  thought  that  I'd  deserted 
you.  I  could  stand  it  no  longer  at  last.  I 
knocked.  They  told  me  that  you  had  gone. 
Lenda,  darling. 

LENDA 

We  are  not  alone  here,  Bunny.    Kezia  is  here. 

KEZIA 

Master  Bunny,  and  you  Miss  Lenda,  I  am 
going  trembling,  in  a  few  hours  now,  to  the 
presence  of  my  Maker.  All  my  days  I  have 
been  among  the  Holtspurs.  I  have  held  their 
babes  and  laid  their  dead  and  their  bread  has 
been  my  portion.  If  an  old  woman  may  be 
forgiven,  Master  Bunny,  I  pray  that  all 
beauty  and  all  bounty  and  all  blessing  be 
upon  your  marriage  forever  [she  starts  to  go  of 
Right]  and  forever  .  .  .  and  forever. 

[She  goes  of,  Back  Right] 

LENDA 

Our  marriage  is  less  likely  to  happen  than  was 
thought. 

BUNNY 

Lenda,  my  beloved,  I'm  half  mad  from  the 
want  of  saying  this:  Don't  think  that  to- 
night can  alter  me. 

LENDA 

To-night  has  altered  me,  Bunny.    I'm  my 
father's  child.    You  put  him  from  this  house. 
[144] 


Melloney  Holtspur 


BUNNY 

LENDA 

BUNNY 

LENDA 


BUNNY 


LENDA 


BUNNY 


LENDA 


BUNNY 


I  did  not,  Lenda;  never.  Nothing  can  change 
my  praise  of  your  father. 

Your  mother  did. 

She  is  shocked  to  lose  me,  and  upset  by  the 
deathbed.  She  will  love  you. 

She  will  not  have  the  chance.  When  she  put 
my  father  out,  she  put  me.  She  thinks  my 
presence  here  an  insult  to  this  house.  It  will 
be  soon  removed. 

Lenda,  my  sweet,  we  seem  caught  in  the  net 
of  old  sorrows.  Don't  let  them  break  all  our 
hearts.  Before  all  this  I  felt  I'd  die  if  you 
couldn't  love  me,  but  I'll  kill  myself  if  you 
throw  me  now. 

My  father  begged  and  stole  from  your  moth- 
er's sister. 

I  don't  care. 

I  do.  I  will  send  a  cheque  for  that  when  I 
have  arranged.  And  I  will  trace  those  jewels. 

What  do  those  things  matter?    Our  lives  to- 
gether is  our  task. 
[US] 


Melloney  Holtspur 


LENDA 


BUNNY 


LENDA 


MELLONEY 


Our  lives  together,  in  this  house,  with  my 
father's  sin  rising  up  between  us? 

This  house  is  an  evil  old  coffin  full  of  dead. 

It  was  he  who  brought  the  dead. 
I  think  justice  is  done  now.  He  spurned  your 
aunt.  Your  mother  has  spurned  me.  So  I 
will  go.  Good-bye.  God  bless  you,  Bunny. 
[She  turns  to  go  out  Right,  but  stays  at  table.] 
This  letter  that  I  wrote  to  your  mother,  I'll 
tear  it.  It  was  all  bitter.  Tell  her  that  I 
will  write.  Tell  her,  whatever  my  father  did, 
I've  paid,  Bunny.  Oh,  Bunny,  Bunny,  I  love 
you,  Bunny.  I  wish  I  might  die.  There. 
It  is  at  an  end,  now.  [She  rises.] 

[Going  to  the  Left  of  the  table.] 
Ah,  no,  no.  You  must  not  part  from  each 
other.  Let  the  old  sin  be;  it  has  been  pun- 
ished enough.  I  have  been  punishing  your 
father  in  my  heart  for  all  these  years,  yet 
wanted  more  vengeance  still.  You  love  each 
other.  That  atones  for  all  the  old  sin  and 
wipes  it  away.  Oh,  be  happy,  you  two  young 
things,  while  it  is  hawthorn  with  you.  Bunny, 
my  beloved,  give  me  your  hand.  And  you, 
I  loved  your  father  once;  no,  I  love  him  still. 
I  give  you  your  lover's  hand.  Take  it  from 
[146] 


Melloney  Holtspur 


JULIA 


LENDA 
BUNNY 

JULIA 

SUSAN 


me.  I  will  love  you  too,  my  child,  that 
should  have  been  my  child.  I  will  pray  for 
all  lovely  things  for  both  of  you. 

[She  places  the  lovers'  hands  in  each 
other  and  slowly  goes  ojf  Front  Left. 
The  lovers  look  at  each  other.  The 
hiding  place  at  back  gives  a  click  and 
slowly  joggles  wide  open.  Enter  from 
Right  Back,  JULIA.] 

My  dears,  you  here?  What  does  this  mean? 
Yet  the  strange  thing  is,  I  knew  that  I  should 
find  you.  I've  had  a  marvellous  dream  about 
my  sister  Melloney.  It  was  as  though  she 
was  at  my  side.  She  has  made  me  see  the 
right  in  this  matter  of  your  marriage.  Lenda, 
my  dear  child,  I  want  you  to  take  my  son. 
See,  I  give  him  up  to  you.  Will  you  come 
into  my  heart,  my  daughter?  There  is  room 
for  you,  my  dear.  [She  takes  LENDA.] 

/ 
Thank  you.    Thank  you. 

Thank  you,  Mother. 

[The  children  come  in,  led  by  SUSAN.] 

[Turning  to  CHILDREN.]  But  you,  my  dears, 
what  brings  you  out  of  your  beds  at  daybreak? 

We've  had  dreams,  too.    Look,  Peter.    Look! 
[i47] 


Melloney  Holtspur 

PETER 

The  hiding  place,  wide  open.  What's  in  it? 
The  treasure. 

SUSAN 

What  is  it? 

PETER 

Drawings  —  paintings.  Bring  them  to  the 
table.  Here's  a  portrait  of  Kezia.  "My 
last  drawing.  L.  C." 

SUSAN 

Give  it  to  Kezia.  She  longs  to  have  a  por- 
trait. 

PETER 

Lenda,  these  are  your  father's  missing  paint- 
ings. 
BUNNY 

They  are. 

LENDA 

They  are,  indeed. 

SUSAN 

There's  something  else  in  the  hiding-place. 
It  is  boxes! 

JULIA 

These  are  Sir  Jotham's  jewels.  With  a  note 
from  your  father.  "I  pawned  these  and  then 
redeemed  them.  Laurence  Copshrews.  May 
the  House  of  Holtspur  forgive  me." 

BUNNY 

The  House  of  Holtspur  does  forgive  him. 

JULIA 

We  will  carry  these  things  to  my  room,  where 
there  is  a  fire. 

[148] 


SUSAN 


LONNY 


MELLONEY 

LONNY 

MELLONEY 

LONNY 


Melloney  Holtspur 

[They  move  of  Back  Right,  led  by 
SUSAN,  singing.] 

The  hunt  is  up,  the  hunt  is  up, 
And  it  is  well-nigh  day, 

And  Harry  the  King 

Has  gone  a-hunting, 
To  bring  a  deer  to  bay. 

The  east  is  bright,  with  morning  light, 
etc.,  etc. 

[After  they  are  gone,  LONNY  comes 
down  Centre  Front  and  crouches  and 
sobs.] 

I  flung  away  life  and  power,  when  I  did  not 
know  what  they  were.  Now  I  have  neither, 
forever,  and  forever,  and  forever. 

[Enter  MELLONEY,  Front  Left:  she 
comes  down  Centre,  left  of  Table.] 

Lonny!    Lonny  Copshrews! 
I  do  not  know  where  to  hide. 

[Holding  out  her  arms.] 
Hide  here,  Lonny. 

I  am  unworthy  to  touch  the  hem  of  your 
garment. 

[149] 


Melloney  Holtspur 


MELLONEY 
LONNY 

MELLONEY 

LONNY 

MELLONEY 


LONNY 


MELLONEY 


LONNY 


MELLONEY 


And  yet  you  love  me. 

No  one  can  love  twice.  I've  always  loved 
you. 

And  then  a  darkness  fell  upon  you,  Lonny. 
No  darkness;  a  sin,  my  sin. 

We  were  made  for  each  other,  from  of  old, 
we  two,  and  have  been  through  a  dark  time 
apart.  But  the  night  is  over  now,  Lonny. 
Won't  you  come  into  the  light  with  me? 

My  sin  was  against  the  spirit  that  makes  the 
light. 

It  is  forgiven,  by  that  spirit. 

Then  I  think  all  suffering  must  be  at  an  end 
throughout  the  world. 


Forever  and  forever  and  forever. 

[They  draw  together  and  become  trans- 
figured as  they  kiss.] 

THE  MAN  IN  ARMOUR 

Another  death  is  dead! 

Curtain 
[150] 


Note. — The  persons  and  events  described  in  this  play  are  imaginary.    No 
reference  is  made  to  any  living  person. — JOHN  MASEFEELD 


[151] 


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